Jumaat, 6 Disember 2013

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro


Philippines typhoon survivors determined to hope

Posted:

TACLOBAN, Philippines, Dec 07, 2013 (AFP) - A raggedy cloth banner in a Philippine town torn apart by one of the most powerful typhoons on record declares that its residents are "roofless, homeless, but not hopeless".

Super Typhoon Haiyan left more than 7,500 people dead or missing and ruined the homes of about four million others when it tore across some of the Philippines' poorest fishing and farming communities.

A month after the typhoon struck, the battle for survival remains undeniably desperate in squalid towns, where masses of survivors huddle on roads still choked with debris while waiting for noodles, rice, water or other essentials being handed out by relief workers.

But the hand-painted message on the banner, hanging above a shop front being repaired on the outskirts of the hard-hit port city of Ormoc, represents a spirit of hope and resilience that resonates throughout the disaster zone.

International relief workers, who spend their lives visiting disaster zones around the world, have expressed surprise and admiration at the outwardly jovial determination of the survivors to "bangon", or rise, again.

"People are really struggling and yet the vast majority have got this incredible spirit where they just refuse to be defeated by this disaster," International Federation of the Red Cross spokesman Patrick Fuller told AFP on Friday after visiting some of the worst-hit areas in and around the coastal city of Tacloban.

And while much of the international focus in the immediate aftermath of the typhoon has been on the enormous relief effort that was initially dominated by a giant US military contingent, many survivors have quietly started rebuilding their lives using their own initiative.

In the tiny farming community of Kananga on Leyte island, about 70 kilometres (45 miles) west of Tacloban, virtually all of the coconut trees that have sustained families for generations lie worthless on the ground after being ripped apart by Haiyan's monster winds.

Farmer Pepito Baring and a group of young men were on Friday using a chainsaw in the badly damaged local cemetery to cut coconut trees, which were resting on shattered concrete graves, into planks of timber.

"It takes two trees to get enough wood to rebuild a temporary shelter," Baring, 56, said as he stood bare-chested in the fierce early afternoon sun wearing only a pair of dirty shorts and flimsy rubber sandals.

Along the 100-kilometre road between the devastated towns of Ormoc and Tacloban, there are many similar, improvised saw mills that have spurred an astonishingly fast construction boom, albeit of flimsy homes that would be equally unable to withstand another typhoon.

Countless homes of farming and urban communities have been resurrected using the "coco lumber", as well as the recycled materials of their destroyed houses and sometimes tarpaulin roofing donated by relief organisations.

The number of people listed by the government as homeless has dropped from more than four million shortly after Haiyan struck to just 94,000, with one important factor, the determination of survivors to rebuild their homes themselves using whatever means they can. 

Healing Haiyan's wounds to take years

Nevertheless, the poorly rebuilt homes are just band-aids over a gruesome wound that authorities say will take many years and billions of dollars to heal.

Most areas of the central Leyte and Samar islands that were the worst hit by Haiyan remain without electricity and supplies of drinking water.

And nearly three million people remain reliant on life-saving food aid or farming support, such as crop seeds, according to the United Nations.

People living in ruined communities along the sides of major roads on Leyte write messages on boards, such as: "Help us, we need food", in the hope of getting a relief truck to stop.

Yet, desperation should not always be confused for despair.

In one devastated coastal community on the outskirts of Tacloban, hundreds of people queued on Friday for what they said were their first supplies of bottled water for a week.

Among them was Rosalinda Tabao, 55, a mother-of-six who lost her shanty home, her vegetable-stall business and three cousins when Haiyan's tsunami-like storm surges swept across their town.

Tabao said her family lost everything, including all their money and the vegetable crops on a small plot of land they rented and which supplied her vegetable stall.

But Tabao refused to be defeated.

Four days after Haiyan struck, Tabao made a seven-hour bus trip to Ormoc and bought 500 pesos ($12) worth of Chinese cabbage seeds using money donated by her mother-in-law, and sent her husband to plant them on their tiny farm.

"They should be ready in a month," Tabao said as she stood in the queue waiting for water. "Once they are ready, I'll sell them and use the money to buy more seeds, maybe eggplant."

Like her neighbours, Tabao and her husband had also quickly rebuilt a temporary shelter where their old home stood using salvaged materials.

Asked about her strongest emotions over the past month, Tabao said: "I hope. As long as I live, I'll continue to hope."

Japanese parliament passes controversial secrets law

Posted:

TOKYO, Dec 06, 2013 (AFP) - Japan's parliament on Friday adopted a law on protecting state secrets despite a public outcry, with strong opposition from the media and academics who fear it will infringe on the right to information and free expression.

The controversial bill, proposed by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was approved by the Senate on Friday, a few days after it was passed in the lower house.

The Senate vote in favour was expected as the coalition government led by Abe's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) holds a majority of seats there.

The opposition raised motions to stop the law but each move was rejected by the LDP members and their allies.

The law allows government ministers to designate as a state secret information related to defence, diplomacy, counter-intelligence and counter-terrorism.

Abe has argued that the measure is necessary to plug a notoriously leaky government machine, which prevents its chief ally the United States from sharing intelligence.

But critics say the categories are so vague that almost anything could fit the definition. They worry that information that is embarrassing to governing politicians or to their patrons could easily be hidden from public view.

They point to the way that Tokyo withheld news of the severity of the nuclear disaster at Fukushima in 2011, and say a state that already operates largely behind closed doors will become even more secretive.

That problem is exacerbated by a relatively weak institutional press.

The bill allows for jail terms of up to 10 years for those convicted of leaking state secrets, as well as for those who acquire secrets through illegal means - for example through trespass.

Anyone found guilty of encouraging someone to leak a state secret could face up to five years in jail, a provision that has drawn howls of protest from journalists, lawyers and academics.

More than 250 film celebrities, including animation directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, along with journalists, researchers, lawyers and other influential figures had appealed for making every effort to block the law which they criticised for being "anti-liberty, anti-democratic and dangerous".

The legislation does not provide for any independent oversight of the process.

Abe has said the government intends to set up panels to provide checks and balances in the process of defining a secret. But opponents say nothing is written into the legislation and government-appointed panels are in any case unlikely to rule against their paymaster.

Banks told to boost cyber security

Posted:

Singapore's central bank has called on financial institutions to tighten up cyber security after a database on elite customers of Standard Chartered Bank was compromised.

Police confirmed yesterday that information on private-banking clients of the British lender had been found in the laptop of a Singaporean man charged with hacking the parliamentary district website of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said in a statement it has "reminded all FIs (financial institutions) to heighten their vigilance to safeguard their IT systems and customer information, including controls at third party service providers".

"MAS is paying special supervisory attention to FIs' compliance with MAS' requirements for IT outsourcing."

In a statement sent to AFP yesterday, the Singapore Police Force said it discovered files containing data on Standard Chartered's clients in a laptop seized from James Raj when he was arrested on Nov 4 in Malaysia.

The 35-year-old was extradited to Singapore and charged on Nov 12 with hacking the Ang Mo Kio district website, whose MPs include Lee, and posting the image of a Guy Fawkes mask used by international hacker group Anonymous.

The alleged hacking was among a string of cyber attacks that have also targeted the official websites of Lee and President Tony Tan as well as pro-government media.

Some of the attackers denounced new rules requiring news websites in Singapore to obtain annual publication licences, but other hacking incidents appear to be unrelated.

Standard Chartered, whose biggest shareholder is Singapore's state investment firm Temasek Holdings, said in a statement the monthly statements of 647 private banking clients for February 2013 were stolen from the servers of Fuji Xerox, which it had engaged for printing services.

"The confidentiality and privacy of our clients are of paramount importance to us, and we take this incident very seriously," Ray Ferguson, the bank's chief executive, said in the statement.

"Customer data protection is our responsibility and we sincerely apologise to all our customers and specifically to our private bank clients who have been affected."

The bank said no unauthorised transactions resulted from the incident, and that its retail and other banking units were not affected.

The MAS said it was investigating the matter and while it was an "isolated case" it underscored the need for greater vigilance.

"Globally, financial institutions have been facing an increasing number and variety of cyber threats," it said.

"MAS takes a serious view of such threats and has stringent requirements in place for FIs to protect the security of their IT systems and confidentiality of their client data."

Singaporean lawyer M. Ravi, who is representing Raj, did not immediately comment on the matter.

Raj was denied bail on Wednesday after a court ruled that he posed a flight risk.

He has yet to comment on his links to Anonymous, an amorphous group of global hackers. — AFP

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio


Thank you for the telly

Posted:

With no turkey or pumpkin pie around, the Spudniks observe the American Thanksgiving holiday by taking stock of what they're most grateful for on television.

ONE of our favourite Thanksgiving TV specials was an episode of Will & Grace called Homo For The Holidays. Will, Grace and Karen are shocked to learn that Jack's mother has no clue that he is homosexual. Grace even says to to Jack, "On some level, your mother has to know you're gay. I mean, she has met you right?"

With the encouragement of his friends, Jack decides to come out of the closet to his mother at Thanksgiving dinner, but as it turns out, his mother had a bigger surprise for him – she doesn't quite know who his real father is!

We don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Malaysia, but in solidarity with all of our American (TV) friends, we've decided to commemorate the day by listing down five things we're most thankful for where TV is concerned.

1. Man's best friend

Indra: Firstly, I am thankful for TV itself. I don't know what my life would be without it. Ok, I probably would get out of the house more and interact with actual people instead of characters on a show. And I'd probably end up spending more money on things I don't need. Oh my God, TV really is my saviour!

Ann Marie: For as long as I can remember television has been a dear, dear friend. Thank you John Logie Baird. When there's nothing else to do, there's always TV. And today, with my media player, I can watch what I want, when I want. I feel so grateful. And to think that one of the leading researchers into television in the 1930s, Issac Shoenberg, told his research team (who had invented the world's first practical TV camera) that they "had invented the world's biggest time-waster of all time"!

2. Partners in crime

Indra: Let's face it, some days (like the past weekend, for example) there is simply nothing worth watching on TV. But even in these dark times, we can be comforted in knowing that on at least one channel, an episode of Law & Order (be it Special Victims Unit, Criminal Intent, or Los Angeles) is airing. And for this, I thank Dick Wolf. Despite running for years (the original Law & Order series holds the record for longest running dramatic show on TV) the show still has great stories to tell and compelling investigations and court drama.

Ann Marie: Indra is right, of course. Many times I've switched from channel to channel only to finally settle for Law & Order. Thanks to Dick Wolf, in the past I had Miami Vice and Hill Street Blues to keep me glued to the TV. But let's not stop there. Any crime series really can whet my appetite – CSI sort of opened the floodgates for me at one point because I even got to choose which city (Las Vegas, Miami, New York) and ensemble I preferred.

Even back in the day, there was so much to choose from – Police Woman, Charlie's Angels, CHiPS, Hunter. There's something about crime dramas, and the fact that they wrap up in an hour, that is strangely soothing. Maybe it is a way of acknowledging that crime exists, but we're doing something about it. That there are there are a few good men and women out there working their butts off to keep us safe and sane.

3. Bang up job

Indra: Sheldon Cooper, Amy Farrah Fowler, Howard Wolowitz, Rajesh Koothrappali, Penny and Bernadette Rostenkowski. Oh, okay maybe even Leonard Hofstadter. I am so thankful for knowing this bunch. Not since Friends has an ensemble endeared themselves to me as much and I can always count on one or all of them to crack me up.

Ann Marie: Yeah, so, does anyone know Penny's surname? What's with that? I love watching Big Bang Theory but I am so behind. Which is a good thing and I am thankful for it because there will be so much happy catching up to do. I am also grateful because it is one of those series that brings people together. You can be a geek, a hipster, an Indian, Jew, intellectual or not, and you'll love it nonetheless. Somehow it has a universal appeal, and what's more, it caters to the discerning laugh-hunter (okay, I stole that phrase from thetvreviewguy.blogspot.com). Thank you, thetvreviewguy, I am thankful for you too.

4. Pease pudding and        saveloys

Indra: Thank goodness for modern-day cooking shows (that includes reality cooking competitions) that are not only entertaining but make cooking and baking look exciting, fun and most of all, possible to do.

Ann Marie: I hate cooking. But since cooking has become so accessible and informative and entertaining, I have been so enthusiastic about being in my kitchen. I remember my son and I trying out a chicken schnitzel recipe after watching MasterChef Junior participants try it out on TV. And the likes of Anna Olson and Michael Smith just make everything seem so darn effortless. Really, I am exceedingly grateful for cooking shows. They have changed my life. I'm no chef, but I no longer have a fear of trying something out and working at it to get it right. They have also, I think, made me a little more adventurous when it comes to tasting food. Thank you Anthony Bourdain for taking me around the world and introducing me to fresh and exciting cuisines.

5. Candy

Indra: Eye candy that is. Where do I even begin? Stephen Amell (Arrow), Gabriel Macht (Suits), Idris Elba (Luther), Jensen Ackles (Supernatural), Simon Baker (The Mentalist), Alexander SkarsgÄrd (True Blood), Matt Bomer (White Collar), Sam Palladio (Nashville), Jim Caviezel (Person Of Interest) ... the list goes on and on and on.

Ann Marie: Oooohhh you had me at Idris Elba. Once you go black ... you understand why you need to be thankful. I'll have that hot chocolate now, thanks.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates


Military power backs U.S. security commitments in Gulf - Hagel

Posted:

MANAMA (Reuters) - U.S. Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Saturday the United States would maintain a wide array of military forces in the Middle East to ensure security in the volatile region despite diplomatic overtures toward Iran over its nuclear program.

Hagel, in prepared remarks to the Manama Dialogue security forum in Bahrain, said the Pentagon had no plan to adjust its military presence or planning in the region as a result of an interim accord on Tehran's nuclear enrichment program.

The Pentagon chief, seeking to reassure the wary Gulf Arab leaders about Washington's intentions, said even as diplomacy moves forward, U.S. security guarantees will be backed by a fierce array of aircraft, ships, tanks, artillery and 35,000 troops.

The Pentagon chief also proposed new steps to improve regional security, including boosting missile defence and allowing the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council to purchase U.S. defence systems as an organization to encourage regional partnerships.

"Going forward, the Department of Defence will place even more emphasis on building the capacity of our partners in order to complement our strong military presence in the region," he said in prepared remarks.

"Our goal is for our allies and partners in this region to be stronger and more capable in dealing with common threats," he said.

Hagel's address to the security forum later on Saturday comes at a time of heightened tension in the relationship between Washington and its longtime Gulf Arab partners.

Leaders in the region are worried the United States will lose focus on the Middle East as it strategically rebalances to Asia. And they are frustrated over the U.S. handling of the Arab Spring protests and the Syrian civil war.

To underscore the scope of the U.S. security commitment to the region, Hagel outlined the array of American military forces in the area, including more than 35,000 military personnel "in and immediately around the Gulf." Included in that figure were 10,000 Army soldiers with armour, artillery and helicopters.

Hagel said the United States has deployed its most advanced fighter aircraft to the region, including the radar-evading F-22.

And more than 40 Navy ships patrol the waters nearby, including an aircraft carrier and its supporting ships, Hagel said. U.S. Navy vessels have steamed through the narrow Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf some 50 times in the past six months in the name of ensuring freedom of navigation.

Obama offers condolences to Mandela's widow in call

Posted:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama spoke to Nelson Mandela's widow, Graca Machel, by phone on Friday to express condolences over the former South African president's death, the White House said.

"The president thanked Mrs. Machel for the profound influence that Nelson Mandela has had on him, and underscored the power of President Mandela's example for the people of South Africa and the entire world," the White House said in a statement.

"President Obama expressed gratitude and thanks for the joy that Graca Machel brought to Nelson Mandela's life, and the commitment to a peaceful, fair, and loving world that she and President Mandela shared."

(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Eric Beech)

France struggles in EU to stem low-cost foreign workers

Posted:

DUNKERQUE, France (Reuters) - At the northern tip of France, on the Channel coast, the country's second-biggest industrial building site buzzes with engines, cranes, and more than 1,000 workers.

But most are foreign, not French, employed at lower cost on temporary contracts under a European Union law that has stirred political outrage, embarrassed the Socialist government and given ammunition to the far-right National Front.

The issue, sensitive ahead of next year's European Parliament elections, will top the agenda next Monday when the EU's 28 labour ministers meet in Brussels, and may well be escalated to a summit of the bloc's leaders on December 19-20.

The project of a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, close to where a British flotilla rescued an expeditionary force when Germany invaded France in 1940, had spurred high hopes for jobs in a rust belt town hard hit by industrial decline and the recent closure of a Total refinery.

But like many construction sites across the country, the project, owned by state-controlled utility EDF, mainly employs foreigners hired via subcontractors on terms that avoid France's high labour costs. The practice is legal under a 1996 European directive but French trade unions say it is widely abused, and local workers are feeling bitter.

"The region is desperate for jobs, but we're facing utterly unfair competition and we're being squeezed out," said David Sans, a local CGT unionist. His electrical company just lost a tender on the LNG site. Rival Italian bidders, he said, offered Portuguese labour at nearly half the cost of French workers.

The phenomenon is on the rise as companies hungry for business fight to win competitive tenders but it is causing mounting resentment in France, where unemployment is near all-time highs.

Each year, more than a million workers are posted by their employers across EU borders to provide services, mainly in construction, agriculture, hospitality and transport, according to the European Commission.

The government says the number of declared posted workers in France - mainly from Poland, Portugal and Romania - rose 23 percent this year to more than 200,000, and officials estimate that many more go unregistered.

ABUSES HARD TO NAIL

Under EU rules, workers may be posted abroad for up to two years to carry out a specific mission. Their contracts must respect the labour rules of the host country, but social security charges remain those of the home state.

In France that means they must be paid the gross minimum wage of about 1,400 euros ($1,900) a month for a 35-hour week, with five weeks annual holidays, but are not liable to French payroll deductions, which are the highest in Europe.

Social charges can be two, three or four times lower for hires from Britain, Poland or Slovakia, meaning companies can significantly lower their labour costs by using this system.

Officials say many foreign sub-contractors don't respect the pay and working time rules, but abuses are hard to nail.

"This phenomenon threatens our social system because not only does it strip French workers of a job but it also means less income for the coffers of our Social Security," a parliamentary report debated earlier this week said.

The issue is politically toxic in other high-cost countries such as Belgium and Denmark, and Eurosceptical populist parties of the far right and hard left have latched on to it ahead of European Parliament elections next May.

Fears of an influx of cheap foreign labour, symbolised by the "Polish plumber", contributed to a French "no" vote in 2005 in a referendum on an EU constitution.

FRANCE PUSHING FOR CHANGE

Paris wants to tighten the rules to make companies provide more documentation proving the contracts for posted workers are legal. It also wants to make the host contractor legally liable for ensuring the foreign sub-contractor respects host country labour rules.

At the very least, France wants those tougher requirements to apply to the construction sector. Government efforts are finding unusual support among national business federations.

"We must revise this directive, we really must adapt it, because it is destroying a lot of jobs in France, especially in small firms," employers' leader Pierre Gattaz told Reuters.

The EU legislation dates back to 1996, before the bloc admitted a dozen poorer central and east European states. It can be amended by a qualified majority vote but if the issue goes to the EU summit, decisions there require consensus.

Unsurprisingly, France faces opposition from Poland, the biggest source of posted workers, and from most other ex-communist newcomers plus Britain, the bloc's most vocal advocate of the free market.

Some French employers who use the system caution against throwing the baby out with the bath water.

"We should reform to stop abuses, but we shouldn't scrap a system that brings fresh blood and energy to morose economies," said one entrepreneur who hires about 100 posted workers a year from Romania to repair wooden pallets for French firms.

"These workers are paid five or six times what they would make in Romania, so when they come they're much more motivated and hard-working than the French, for whom this is a tough and poorly paid job," he said, asking not to be identified because of the topic's sensitivity.

LODGING IN NEARBY CAMPSITES

In Dunkerque, the National Front has seized on the fact that 59 percent of the 1,300 workers building the LNG port are foreign to call for job protection at a time when unemployment in the region is around 14 percent, compared to roughly 11 percent nationwide.

That would run counter to EU rules on the free movement of labour and services.

The head of the LNG project, Marc Girard, said in an interview it made sense to use expertise from all around Europe on such a massive project in a sector as technical and international as the oil and gas industry.

"Twenty kilometres further, the plant would have been in Belgium. We're very happy it's being built in France," he said, noting that 30 percent of workers came from the region.

Most locals interviewed by Reuters complained they weren't getting much business from the project.

"It brings zilch, nada," said Francesco Costa, 43, a barman whose bistrot faces one of the city's harbours, wrapped in fog. "Locals aren't being hired. Jobs are going to Poles, Czechs, Italians, who don't come over here for a drink but stay on campsites outside town."

Gianfranco Porcu, a 57-year-old Italian interviewed leaving the LNG site, illustrated that point, riding his pickup truck back to the seaside bungalow his company rented for his one-year posting in Dunkerque.

He said his team of 110 was dominated by Portuguese and Italians working from dawn to dusk, Monday through Saturday.

"We don't take holidays. We don't count our hours. But we make more money, so we don't complain," he said.

He declined to say how much he earned but said it was 60 euros a day more than in his native Sardinia. Otherwise, it would not be worth the trouble.

"It's long hours, a lot of travel, not seeing your family ... Also, the sea is prettier in Italy," he said.

(Additional reporting by Emmanuel Jarry and Gilles Guillaume in Paris; Editing by Paul Taylor and Giles Elgood)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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The Star Online: Business


TM expects 10% hike in revenue from tie-up with Microsoft

Posted:

Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) expects to see a 10% increase in revenue from its product UniFi with Microsoft Office 365, a collaboration with the eponymous software and hardware developer.

Currently, TM has over 102,100 customers for its existing Office in a Box package and from this figure, 4,700 customers have subscribed to the Office in a Box with Microsoft Office 365 package.

Although last December it targeted to reach 23,000 new subscribers for the new bundle, which was launched in October 2012, TM views this positively as there were customer upgrades from the Business Broadband to UniFi.

"We will continue to aggressively promote TM products and solutions in our efforts to empower Malaysian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through greater efficiencies," TM SME executive vice-chairman Azizi A. Hadi tells StarBizWeek.

Essentially, the new package offered to SMEs include Office Web Apps, E-mail and Calendars, file sharing, managing projects and instant messaging as well as Presence & Conferencing, a video conferencing software, among ancillary peripherals.

Up the value chain

Azizi says the whole point of the deal is to assist SMEs move up the value chain via information and communications technology (ICT) solutions, and ultimately, to lower their operational expenditure and capital investment, and help increase profitability.

"This is a very good deal as for any purchase of Microsoft Office 365 ID outside of this TM package will be charged in US dollar using the current rate. For ala carte purchases of the Microsoft Office 365 ID via TM's BizApp Store, customers will be billed in local currency and it is fixed at RM21 per user ID," he says.

As of September 2013, there were more than 505,200 SMEs nationwide subscribing to TM products and services.

The communications provider will continue to explore initiatives that enhance the SME sector, including collaborations with key industry players such as property developers to reach out to SME communities.

"In our effort to expand high speed broadband (HSBB) service beyond the public private partnership (PPP) with the Government of Malaysia, we also embarked on the Smart Partnership programme with local property developers nationwide for TM to deploy and provision our HSBB network infrastructure and services to new residential and commercial developments," Azizi says.

Infrastructure provider

To date, TM has signed on over 18,000 residential and commercial property units, where the communications company acts as the network infrastructure provider for their new housing developments.

"Such collaborations will help increase the usage of high speed broadband among Malaysians, and with the establishment of HSBB-equipped housing cities, it hopes to boost ICT adoption towards achieving the household broadband penetration target of 75% by end-2015, as outlined in the National Broadband Plan," he adds.

Moving forward, TM is looking out for more collaborations to boost the penetration and growth of SMEs in the country and abroad.

Current collaborative partners include the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, SME Corp and the Multimedia Development Corp, where products, services, programmes and events are put together for the SME community.

"We will be announcing more partnerships with other corporations in the near future," Azizi says.

According to TM, micro and small enterprises contribute up to 97% of the total SME establishments in the country.

However, most are unaware of the benefits of ICT and how it can be leveraged upon to further enhance their business operations.

"Business customers need a higher level of understanding of the package before making the decision as it will greatly affect their business operations. That is why we continuously organise on-ground events such as BizFest, BizBrigade abd BizFiesta to provide them with better understanding of the products and services as well as gain their acceptance and trust in our UniFi service," Azizi says. "We have a comprehensive suit of more than 40 innovative ICT products and services designed to increase productivity and operational efficiencies."

Business wisdom as a X’mas gift

Posted:

Can you get smart by reading 75 books recommended by a magazine?

CHRISTMAS is less than three weeks away. What can you get for the entrepreneurs and executives who seem to have everything? How do you shop for those who already own the latest gadgets and the most stylish clothes, and who regularly enjoy fancy meals and exotic getaways?

How about buying them some business wisdom? Of course, it's not something you can pick out at a department store and hand to the clerk at the courtesy counter for gift wrapping. But Fortune magazine offers an option close enough to that.

Actually, it's not a new idea. To celebrate its 75th anniversary back in 2005, Fortune published three special issues. The first came out in March and it focuses on business wisdom. One article, titled The Smartest Books We Know, immediately grabbed my attention, and since then, I've gone back to it many times.

You can read it at money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2005/03/21/8254826.

It has an irresistible selling point. Twenty-one writers had come together to produce short reviews of 75 books that will "stir your brain – and maybe even stir you to action".

The standfirst to the article is in itself a great (but hyperbolic) hook: "Fortune offers the ultimate reading list: 75 books that teach you everything you really need to know about business."

Writer Jerry Useem likens a book to a wise counsellor at your disposal – "one that will sit patiently until called upon and even fit in your bag".

"You can't always have the perfect book at the ready. But you can have the perfect reading list on hand," he adds.

You expect wisdom to emanate from everywhere, and fittingly, the list is a mixed bag. The oldest book is Sun Tzu's The Art of War, published circa 500 BC. The most recent (bearing in mind that the article originally ran in 2005 and hasn't been updated) are two that were released in 2004.

The list is arranged according to topics – booms and busts; the corporation; decision-making; economics; ethics; globalisation; investing; leadership; negotiating and managing; office politics; power; project management; strategy; technology and innovation; Wall Street; and work and life.

Best of all, many of the books are not the sort you'll find in the business section of bookstores. For example, four of the five titles that Fortune recommends under the category of decision-making, have nothing to do with the running a company.

These four are about a mountain-climbing expedition, the aftermath of the sinking of a whaling ship, the Battle of Gettysburg, and the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.

Also in the list are books that tell the stories of non-business landmark events and undertakings, such as TV show Saturday Night Live; the Manhattan Project, which gave birth to the atomic bomb; the horrific Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia in 1993, which claimed the lives of almost 20 US soldiers (and one each from Malaysia and Pakistan); and the civil rights movement in the US led by Martin Luther King Jr.

This eclecticism is both delightful and enlightening. The diversity of subject matters ensures that there's plenty of discovery, learning and novelty as one ploughs through the books.

At the same time, the list underscores the fact that business is a lot more than just making and selling goods and services. It's a cliche, yes, but business is indeed about people and what they do.

I have no problems accepting that there's an enormous amount of business wisdom within the covers of these 75 books. I'm sure it's not "everything you really need to know about business", but if you want somebody to gain an insight or two about business, you can't go wrong by presenting that person with these books.

The most convenient way is to hunt down the books online and try to get them all in one go. It's expensive and the recipient will end up with a huge pile of unread books. Fortune reckons, maybe half seriously, that you'll need 75 years to devour the entire list of books.

I want the books for myself, and I prefer the collector's approach. It's about patience and the thrill of the hunt. It's fun to search the shelves at the bookshops to see if I can spot any book that's on the list.

The joy is doubled when I can get it cheap, which means I don't mind foraging at second-hand bookstores, warehouse sales, flea markets and charity bazaars. The condition of the book is secondary; it's the words on the pages that truly count.

To date, I've read 13 of the 75 books. That's only a 17% progress, but still, I should feel a little smarter, right? And maybe I do. After all, having a reading habit is always a wise choice.

  • Executive editor Errol Oh is feeling weird about writing in the first person. It's worse now because he just referred to himself in the third person.

Cyberview and Gadang team up for RM1.06bil development

Posted:

CYBERJAYA: Government-owned Cyberview Sdn Bhd and diversified firm Gadang Holdings Bhd will team up for a RM1.06bil project here, to be developed over nine years.

The project will comprise 794 units of the 1Malaysia Housing Programme, or PR1MA houses, 142 two-storey link houses, 340 stratified two-storey link houses, 1,074 apartment units and 150 government quarters.

It also includes developing one plot of commercial land. The entire development will comprise four phases.

Cyberview managing director Faris Yahaya said that earthworks were expected to begin in the first quarter of next year, with sales of the first phase starting in the third quarter.

The first phase, he said, would comprise 325 units of PR1MA houses and 142 two-storey link houses, which would begin from RM500,000 each.

"Cyberjaya has a total investment gross development value (GDV) of RM35bil to-date, and the GDV over the next five years is expected to be at RM20bil, with an RM8bil investment from Cyberview," Faris said at the groundbreaking ceremony.

He noted that apart from the PR1MA houses, all other housing units under the nine-year project would also be priced "more competitively" than similar properties in the market.

Cyberview is the land owner of Cyberjaya Malaysia, an information and communications technology-focused township.

It has the mandate to spearhead the entire development of Cyberjaya Malaysia, which currently hosts more than 700 companies.

Gadang is its joint-venture partner-cum-developer for this development.

Gadang executive director Kok Pei Ling said that details on the profit sharing for the project between the two parties were still being finalised.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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Fire and Rescue Department ready to wade in and help

Posted:

PETALING JAYA: The Fire and Rescue Department has launched a large-scale Ops Banjir (Flood Ops), mobilising more than 13,000 firemen nationwide to be deployed to flood-hit states, says director-general Datuk Wan Mohd Nor Ibrahim.

"All leave for firemen has been frozen. Our personnel will be on duty on 24-hour shifts for flood operations," he said.

The department is working closely with other agencies and departments in coordinating rescue efforts in Terengganu, Pahang, Johor and Kelantan.

Wan Mohd Nor said yesterday that the department had adequate logistics, including 500 boats, more than 130 lorries and seven helicopters nationwide.

"We have already deployed five lorry-loads of personnel to Pahang," he added.

Wan Mohd Nor also advised flood victims to follow evacuation orders issued by the authorities.

"Hesitation or delay in following such orders will jeopardise their safety.

"Please do not wait until the last minute to move to the evacuation centres," he added.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Government had no intention to declare emergency in the states badly hit by floods.

"We have mobilised all of our assets to help the people," he said at PWTC yesterday.

Dr Ahmad Zahid said that nearly 5,000 policemen, personnel from the Civil Defence Department and Rela have been rushed to the flood-hit areas in five states, while more than 400 boats of the police and Civil Defence are being used to evacuate victims.

Dr Ahmad Zahid said the National Registration Department had been directed to help issue replacement identification documents to victims.

"I have also asked the Immigration Department to issue replacement passports for free to victims who still had a valid passport. Only those with expired passports would need to pay," he added.

Apart from agencies under the Home Ministry, other ministries involved in Ops Banjir are the Defence and Health ministries and the National Security Council.

Related stories:

One dead, two missing as flood situation worsens

Special aid for flood victims to be considered, says Najib

Veggie prices in Johor rise with floodwaters in Pahang

Volunteer helps ease anxiety at relief centres

Kedah to rediscover secrets of Sungai Batu, says Mukhriz

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Kedah is planning to unravel the secret that lies beneath the lost Sungai Batu that was once the lifeline of the ancient civilisation of Lembah Bujang.

Mentri Besar Datuk Paduka Mukhriz Mahathir said they have discovered remnants of ancient jetties located 30m apart, indicating that Sungai Batu was once a wide river.

"Ships once sailed along Sungai Batu, as narrated in Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa.

"This is an indication that the river was very deep.

"As the river has disappeared, I cannot wait to discover the secrets beneath the site where a major river once flowed," he said.

Mukhriz said there were many other interesting findings at the site that was once a flourishing civilisation dating as far back as the first century.

"We are trying to gather more evidence following findings in India, West Asia and Arab countries that say the best steel swords were imported from Sungai Batu," he said.

Mukhriz said Bujang Valley was once a centre of power complete with defence, trade and administrative facilities.

"We are also looking into exploring Gunung Jerai, which was also part of the Lembah Bujang," he said.

He said the Kedah Government was discussing with Tourism Ministry to develop the Bujang Valley by preserving and reconstructing structures of significant interest including the candi and iron smelting facilities.

"We want to promote this historical site as a tourist destination," he said, adding that many of the sites in Lembah Bujang had been gazetted.

He said the unfortunate incident had created awareness on the importance of conserving the ruins of the ancient civilisation.

"Lembah Bujang has become well known now," he said.

Related story:

Keeping mum on candi issue

Fake cigarettes worth RM165,000 seized

Posted:

KOTA KINABALU: Customs officials uncovered 750,000 packets of fake Manchester brand cigarettes made to look like the original during a raid here.

The cigarettes, valued at RM165,000, were found to have an off scent and taste when several were tested during the raid at a premises in Cyber City near Kepayan not far from the state capital.

Sabah Customs Department deputy director of enforcement and compliance, Hamzah Sundang said a man in his 30s was subsequently detained following the 2pm operation on Wednesday.

The cigarettes were packed to look like the original but when tests were carried out, it was found that the items were fake, he said, adding that this was the department's first cigarette raid of the year.

He said the confiscated items had been sent to the Customs Department headquarters for further investigation.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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Bhumibol still the guiding light for kingdom

Posted:

TO mark his 86th birthday anniversary, King Bhumibol Adulyadej granted a grand public audience at his Klai Kangwon Palace in Prachuap Khiri Khan for the first time.

A huge number of the much-revered monarch's well-wishers crowded the streets to express their continued deep loyalty to him.

This year, Thais' overwhelming respect for His Majesty has caught the world's spotlight, as even the serious confrontations between anti-government demonstrators and the Yingluck Shinawatra-led administration have come to a halt especially for this important occasion.

Both sides have organised events to honour the much-beloved King.

The king, accompanied by Queen Sirikit, made a public appearance at the Rajapracha Samakhom Pavilion of Klai Kangwon Palace yesterday.

Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, Prime Minister Yingluck, Parliament president Somsak Kiatsuranont, the supreme commander, and the chiefs of the armed forces were present to express their well wishes.

Nattakan Sittikham, a Nonthaburi resident, had staked her claim to a space on the footpath as early as Wednesday morning.

"I came here to honour my much-beloved King. I love him so much because he is so devoted to his country and his people," said the 60-year-old woman.

Pattarin Obchoey, 44, said that she, her family members and friends travelled from as far away as Nakhon Pathom because they wanted to express their loyalty to the King.

"We came early because we were worried that all the space would be quickly occupied," she said. — The Nation / Asia News Network

Bhumibol appeals for stability

Posted:

BANGKOK: Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej urged the nation to work together for "stability" in a speech on his 86th birthday, marked by an easing of tensions after violent anti-government protests.

The kingdom remains on edge following several days of street clashes during demonstrations aimed at overthrowing Prime Minister Ying­luck Shinawatra and curbing the political influence of her brother Thaksin.

Demonstrators and police in Bangkok have been observing a temporary truce since Wednesday ahead of the birthday celebrations for Bhumibol, who is treated as a near-deity by many Thais.

At a formal ceremony attended by dignitaries including the embattled premier, her political rivals and the nation's military heads, the king said the country "has been peaceful for a long time because everybody worked together".

"Every Thai should be aware of this and should perform their role for the benefit of the country, which is the stability and security of the country," he said in the speech broadcast on all television channels.

Bhumibol, seen as a moral authority in the deeply divided nation, did not specifically mention the recent unrest.

The streets near his seaside palace were a sea of yellow yesterday as thousands of people wearing his signature colour turned out to celebrate in the central coastal town of Hua Hin, where he has lived since leaving hospital in August.

Kneeling supporters wept and shouted "Long live the King!" as the royal convoy made a brief tour of the town's streets before returning to the palace.

Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and Yingluck both made speeches in praise of the monarch at the solemn birthday ceremony, the first to be held in Hua Hin.

Demonstrators, who cleaned up a key rally site in Bangkok in preparation for the birthday festivities, paused in reverence yesterday but plan to resume their action today.

Any political action or violence during the public holiday would be seen as a serious sign of disrespect.

A huge portrait of the monarch had been erected at Democracy Monument near the capital's Grand Palace, where the tub-thumping speeches of a month-long anti-government rally temporarily gave way to cheerful celebrations.

Hundreds gathered to watch the official birthday ceremony on big screens, cheering loudly at the appearance of the king, the world's longest-serving monarch.

But demonstrators, who erupted into angry jeers when Yingluck appeared on screen, were insistent that they had not abandoned their fight to oust the government.

"Tomorrow we will protest," said Khieu, who gave only one name and sported a large, neon yellow "We Love the King" headband.

"I will come back until we win victory for the Thai people," she added.

Police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon to repel protesters trying to occupy key ministries in the unrest at the weekend, which left five dead and over 200 injured.

The demonstrators, who still occupy the finance ministry and a key government complex on the outskirts of Bangkok, want to suspend the country's democracy in favour of an unelected "people's council".

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, a former deputy premier, has pledged to continue the fight to rid Thailand of what he calls the "Thaksin regime".

An arrest warrant for insurrection was issued for Suthep on Monday and authorities have called for him to give himself up.

Thailand has been periodically rocked by sometimes bloody unrest since then-premier Thaksin was deposed by royalist generals in a coup seven years ago. — AFP

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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Bhumibol still the guiding light for kingdom

Posted:

TO mark his 86th birthday anniversary, King Bhumibol Adulyadej granted a grand public audience at his Klai Kangwon Palace in Prachuap Khiri Khan for the first time.

A huge number of the much-revered monarch's well-wishers crowded the streets to express their continued deep loyalty to him.

This year, Thais' overwhelming respect for His Majesty has caught the world's spotlight, as even the serious confrontations between anti-government demonstrators and the Yingluck Shinawatra-led administration have come to a halt especially for this important occasion.

Both sides have organised events to honour the much-beloved King.

The king, accompanied by Queen Sirikit, made a public appearance at the Rajapracha Samakhom Pavilion of Klai Kangwon Palace yesterday.

Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, Prime Minister Yingluck, Parliament president Somsak Kiatsuranont, the supreme commander, and the chiefs of the armed forces were present to express their well wishes.

Nattakan Sittikham, a Nonthaburi resident, had staked her claim to a space on the footpath as early as Wednesday morning.

"I came here to honour my much-beloved King. I love him so much because he is so devoted to his country and his people," said the 60-year-old woman.

Pattarin Obchoey, 44, said that she, her family members and friends travelled from as far away as Nakhon Pathom because they wanted to express their loyalty to the King.

"We came early because we were worried that all the space would be quickly occupied," she said. — The Nation / Asia News Network

Bhumibol appeals for stability

Posted:

BANGKOK: Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej urged the nation to work together for "stability" in a speech on his 86th birthday, marked by an easing of tensions after violent anti-government protests.

The kingdom remains on edge following several days of street clashes during demonstrations aimed at overthrowing Prime Minister Ying­luck Shinawatra and curbing the political influence of her brother Thaksin.

Demonstrators and police in Bangkok have been observing a temporary truce since Wednesday ahead of the birthday celebrations for Bhumibol, who is treated as a near-deity by many Thais.

At a formal ceremony attended by dignitaries including the embattled premier, her political rivals and the nation's military heads, the king said the country "has been peaceful for a long time because everybody worked together".

"Every Thai should be aware of this and should perform their role for the benefit of the country, which is the stability and security of the country," he said in the speech broadcast on all television channels.

Bhumibol, seen as a moral authority in the deeply divided nation, did not specifically mention the recent unrest.

The streets near his seaside palace were a sea of yellow yesterday as thousands of people wearing his signature colour turned out to celebrate in the central coastal town of Hua Hin, where he has lived since leaving hospital in August.

Kneeling supporters wept and shouted "Long live the King!" as the royal convoy made a brief tour of the town's streets before returning to the palace.

Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and Yingluck both made speeches in praise of the monarch at the solemn birthday ceremony, the first to be held in Hua Hin.

Demonstrators, who cleaned up a key rally site in Bangkok in preparation for the birthday festivities, paused in reverence yesterday but plan to resume their action today.

Any political action or violence during the public holiday would be seen as a serious sign of disrespect.

A huge portrait of the monarch had been erected at Democracy Monument near the capital's Grand Palace, where the tub-thumping speeches of a month-long anti-government rally temporarily gave way to cheerful celebrations.

Hundreds gathered to watch the official birthday ceremony on big screens, cheering loudly at the appearance of the king, the world's longest-serving monarch.

But demonstrators, who erupted into angry jeers when Yingluck appeared on screen, were insistent that they had not abandoned their fight to oust the government.

"Tomorrow we will protest," said Khieu, who gave only one name and sported a large, neon yellow "We Love the King" headband.

"I will come back until we win victory for the Thai people," she added.

Police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon to repel protesters trying to occupy key ministries in the unrest at the weekend, which left five dead and over 200 injured.

The demonstrators, who still occupy the finance ministry and a key government complex on the outskirts of Bangkok, want to suspend the country's democracy in favour of an unelected "people's council".

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, a former deputy premier, has pledged to continue the fight to rid Thailand of what he calls the "Thaksin regime".

An arrest warrant for insurrection was issued for Suthep on Monday and authorities have called for him to give himself up.

Thailand has been periodically rocked by sometimes bloody unrest since then-premier Thaksin was deposed by royalist generals in a coup seven years ago. — AFP

Samsung floats world's biggest vessel

Posted:

SEOUL: South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries has floated a tanker-shaped vessel tagged as the world's largest "floating facility" with a length greater than the height of the Empire State Building in New York.

A Samsung spokesman said yesterday that the 488m-long floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) platform – named Prelude – was set in the water at its southern shipyard in Geoje on Nov 30.

The vessel cannot be described as a "ship" as it is unable to move under its own steam and must be towed.

But its specifications are impressive.

Once completed, the facility will weigh more than 600,000 tonnes fully loaded, displacing the same amount of water as six of the world's largest aircraft carriers.

Commissioned by the Dutch energy giant Shell, the facility is due to be delivered by September 2016. — AFP

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: TV Tracks

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Thank you for the telly

Posted:

With no turkey or pumpkin pie around, the Spudniks observe the American Thanksgiving holiday by taking stock of what they're most grateful for on television.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Low-key affair

Posted:

There were really no surprises at the TVB Star Awards Malaysia 2013 on Sunday night, so, one can pretty much guess who were the biggest winners at the ceremony, which was held at the KWC Fashion Mall in Kuala Lumpur.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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All-around champions

Posted:

In conjunction with Milo's Fuel For Champions campaign, former national gymnasts Dr Farrah Hani Imran and Sarina Sundara Rajah talk about how being active in sports benefited them.

STRETCHING the hours and juggling different responsibilities were a way of life for former gymnasts Dr Farrah Hani Imran, 36 and Sarina Sundara Rajah, 31, from young.

During their competitive years, they had to deal with the demands of schoolwork, training and everything else teenagers had to contend with.

"Honestly, time was money, back then. We trained every day and we had to balance homework, housework, training and having a social life all in one.

"If you didn't find the time to complete your homework, your social life would take a fall. I missed friends birthday parties and other gatherings.

"When school holidays arrived, it was filled with training with the team or studying for exams," reminiscences Dr Farrah who is the Head of Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery in Hospital University Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM).

The pace was punishing, but Dr Farrah says it was a life lesson well worth learning.

"This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, because we learned to appreciate things better and not take everything for granted such as spending time with family and friends and connecting with siblings," says Dr Farrah who learnt to prioritise.

"As I was growing up, apart from gymnastics, I also got myself involved in a few other activities, such as ballet and the school choir. But I set achievable goals and reached them without overwhelming myself.

"My parents were very supportive. They would take turns sending me to my classes and helping me with my routines. My big brother too played his part by helping me stay focused and constantly being there for me through some hard times," she shares.

Aside from time management, both athletes agree that getting involved in sports during their school days helped build character, improve their concentration and work in a team.

"As a team, we worked together. But individually, we were competitive with each other. And because of that, I became competitive in school and always aimed high," relates Sarina.

Her parents were supportive of her involvement in rhythmic gymnastics, but they were also very strict. She knew she had to keep her grades up if she wanted to be active in sports.

Left: Sarina Sundara Rajah, a former gymnast, now trains young gymnasts at her school. Right: Sundara Rajah Gymnastic Club (SRGC).

"Being the eldest, I had to set good examples for my two sisters and brother. I think the idea is to create awareness and make parents realise that no matter how active a child is in extracurricular activities, they can still make time for their studies.

"In fact, it was the values I learned at training camp that helped me be more organised and to see the bigger picture," says Sarina who has set up a gymnastic school in Petaling Jaya called the Sarina Sundara Rajah Gymnastic Club (SRGC).

Sarina's parents weren't the only ones who encouraged and supported her in her endeavours. Her aunt too had become involved in her athletic passion and was a constant motivator.

"My aunt played a pivotal role and offered me the confidence I needed to achieve success. At times, when I thought I just couldn't handle it anymore and the pressure was getting to me, she was my rock and helped me overcome any obstacles I faced," says Sarina.

Dr Farrah says her parents played a crucial role in her development as they gave her the confidence to explore her capabilities.

"They made me feel confident about my choices by supporting the choices I made. My parents approached my interest with an open mind and were supportive from the very beginning," she says.

There were sacrifices Dr Farrah and Sarina had to make, such as forgoing an active social life.

"To me, I think it was mostly not having enough time to socialise with the opposite sex," says Dr Farrah.

While her friends were out dating during their teenage years, she was busy training. But, it was worth the wait, she says. "Today I am happily married to my orthopaedic husband!" she says.

Both athletes have no regrets though.

"I think things would have turned out rather differently if I did not join the gymnastic team in primary school. I don't know if I would have met my wonderful husband, or if I would have pursued my dreams of becoming a doctor," says Dr Farrah.

As for Sarina, she is grateful that she had opportunities many children only dreamt of.

"At 12, I was already travelling around the world and to a kid like me that was a big deal. There are certain lessons you learn in the field, which cannot be taught in class," she says.

Sarina also thinks that schools today should have a variety of sporting activities that will entice children.

"Kids today are exposed to a lot more as compared to many years back and no matter what age you're at, it's never too late to start," she encourages.

"Parents come to my gymnastic school and enquire if it's too late to enrol their kids in the sport. Even though I teach children as young as four, I still encourage parents to sign up their older kids, as I believe they should always support their interests.

As for Dr Farrah, she believes parents can form bonds with their children by taking an interest in their extracurricular activities. "I spent quality time with my parents as they attended competitions and drove me to classes. During those times, we learned from one another."

Fluent in parenting

Posted:

THE old adage that "practice makes perfect" has never seems more true than when it is applied to parenting.

A commonly shared keen observation – or even a funny "urban legend" of sorts – is how a first child in a family is cared for completely differently from how the following children are raised.

Constant surveillance of every move child No 1 makes is soon replaced with a top-of-the-line video baby monitor for child No 2. And often, with the arrival of child No 3 and onward, the overly cautious steps are no longer taken and the constant vulnerability is replaced with a firm sense of confidence.

This confidence often is created not so much by the experience of parenting, but the actual parenting practice that varies from child to child.

The experience of parenting lasts a lifetime, but the practice of parenting is often for a more limited time, during the developmental stages of a child's life. And parenting practice has somewhat of a definitive end, when you can say you have indeed "parented," and watch your child journey into adulthood.

The process of learning a language is very much like the process of parenting, as it relates to experience versus practice.

When learning a language, practice is critical to fully embracing a language and getting to a point when you can say confidently, "I know how to speak this new language."

If you merely experience parenting, you could limit yourself to having just a biological link to your child and providing their basic needs. But you would not fully embrace the practice of parenting with its trial and error, and discover that the rules of engagement change for each child.

Again, this is much like the rules of learning a tongue that is not native to you. Learning "book Spanish" and then trying to use only book knowledge in Argentina, and then separately in Puerto Rico, without changing any of the rules of application and without having any practice, may leave you feeling like you may not have learned Spanish, none at all.

To exercise a language – to have the mere link to it through gaining a general knowledge of it – will never allow you to be truly fluent, unless you have an opportunity to practice in many different situations and settings. But through parenting practice in different settings, its language comes alive and becomes almost second nature.

If we approach parenting the same way as learning a language, particularly when it comes to parenting multiple children, we can save ourselves undue frustrations and feelings of vulnerability, by merely embracing the life exercise that has been thrust upon us through having the title of "parent," and realizing that we will never master parenting.

But we will be almost "native speakers" of the language of parenting by knowing that, indeed, practice makes perfect. Or at least as perfect of a parent as one can be. — McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Angela Jackson is the founder of the Global Language Project, a nonprofit programme that teaches youth a second language while preparing them and empowering them to compete in a global workforce. Learn more at www.globallanguageproject.com

Being present

Posted:

Time spent with kids eliminates guilt in fathers.

PARENTING is all about balance, and it can be quite difficult to feel as if you're giving your children enough attention while also trying to balance work, life and good relationships. Well, it's all about finding the right balance and eliminating the dreaded feeling of guilt in relation to parenting. Remember: If you're doing your very best, you're doing it right.

Daddy guilt exists as much as mummy guilt does, just in different ways. I believe most dads think that they do not spend enough time with their kids. However, as with most guilt it is really an internal process, and the kids themselves are likely quite content with the level of attention they are receiving.

I've put together my top tips for alleviating the feelings of daddy guilt and being more engaged, involved and connected – even if you don't get as much time as you'd like with your kids.

> When in doubt, play: After having seven kids of my own and experiencing 50 plus years of life, I find I am a little less concerned about my guilt nowadays, and if I feel even slightly remorseful, I push those feelings aside and simply sit down on the floor and start playing with my kids.

Together, we like activities such as reading, building train track set ups, and just walking outside together to explore our surroundings. Building memories together, bonding and establishing a relationship is an important part of being a dad, and engaging in activities with your children whenever you have time will eliminate some of the daddy guilt you might be feeling from working too much or travelling.

> Give your undivided attention: For a working dad, or a working mum, the key to avoiding guilt and building relationships is undivided attention.

When you have the time to be with your kids, do so, without the smart phone nearby and without any other distractions. Even 15 minutes of undivided attention a day is better than an hour of being in the same room while distracted by a television, a computer or a phone.

Quality time is well spent sitting quietly, asking questions and listening to your children. Your kids will show you what they need from you; they'll lead you to their understanding of quality time, and you need to be ready to jump on that bandwagon. Engage your children, make eye contact and listen to what they're saying. That is 10 times stronger and more effective than force feeding activities or trying to simply entertain them.

> Make the phone call: When your kids are grown and out of the house it's important to connect with them, and that generally means logging onto Facebook, setting up a Skype call, sending them an e-mail or making that phone call. Your goal is simple: check in, ensure they know you are thinking of them and give them your love.

If you have little ones at home and your work demands you to travel and are away from you family for long periods of time, you would need to do the same types of things to stay involved and engaged. In our house we love Skype and FaceTime; it allows us to see each other face-to-face, check in, smile and even play with toys or read a story together.

Engaging in this type of activity – even when you're far apart – will alleviate the feelings of guilt that might come with being away from your family for work.

> Be Consistent: Be the man your family relies on and follow through. If you work long days and are only home at night in time for bath time and story time then be present, every single night, for those activities. If you work nights and only get to spend time with your children when they wake up in the morning then be present and make it count.

If weekends are the only time you get to connect with your children then be consistent during those times and be involved. Your kids will look forward to the time they get to spend with you, and when you consistently engage them you'll be making memories and building relationships that will last a lifetime.

So my advice is really this: if Dad is feeling guilty, he should just jump in and spend time with his kids whenever and however possible. It will benefit everyone involved. – McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Robert Nickell, aka Daddy Nickell, father of seven, offers advice to expectant and new parents at his Daddyscrubs.com blog.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my
 

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