The Star Online: Nation
The Star Online: Nation |
- MB: Kelantan not against cultural activities
- Preference for Chinese schools among non-Chinese parents growing
- Cops hurt during rally sustained only light injuries
| MB: Kelantan not against cultural activities Posted: 01 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST KOTA BARU: The state government is not against cultural activities as long as they do not contravene Islam. Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob (pic) said cultural activities like makyong and wayang kulit could be continued as tourism products if they have educational values and did not deviate from Islamic teachings. "For example, we banned wayang kulit as it has elements of polytheism, fantasy and cult, but when it is given a new approach which can educate the people, it can be continued in the state," he said after welcoming visitors to the state at the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport here yesterday in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2014. Ahmad Yakob also asked all quarters to pay attention to cleanliness because it could have a negative impact on tourism to the state. — Bernama |
| Preference for Chinese schools among non-Chinese parents growing Posted: 01 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST BATU PAHAT: SJK (C) Kong Nan in Parit Raja here has the highest number of non-Chinese students in the district. On the first day of class yesterday, the school, which has 315 pupils including 69 Malays, welcomed 51 Year One pupils, 11 of them Malays, one Indian and one Pakistani. "Every year, we receive a high number of Malay pupils," headmistress Tan Ah Noi said, adding that 14 Malay pupils sat for the UPSR examinations last year. Chairman of the school board of governors Teo Yew Chuan said the majority of the pupils came from other countries and were children of lecturers or staff of Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia here. Housewife Suhaidah Sapuan, 32, who accompanied her eldest son to his first day at the school, said she always wanted her children to learn Chinese. "It is because the teachers are strict about discipline and my son can mix with those of other races." Rafife Rahim, 28, whose daughter is also attending Year One at the school, said: "I did not go to a Chinese school, but I know the importance of mastering various languages to make one more competitive, besides gaining a better understanding of our neighbours." SJK (C) Cheng Siu 2 in Jalan Tanjong Laboh also has some 30 Malay pupils among its 661 students. Meanwhile, in Kota Kinabalu, State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said schools in Sabah are encouraged to introduce the Chinese language as an optional subject. "Chinese has been acknowledged as the world's most widely used language, followed by English and Spanish. "Hence, it is necessary for people to learn it, if not master it," he said after welcoming Sabah's first international guests at the Kota Kinabalu International Aiport I in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2014. "What I'm saying is that we introduce the Chinese language as an optional subject so that parents can choose whether they want their children to take it up or otherwise," he added. Masidi was responding to a question on whether the Government would consider converting the soon-to-be completed SK Api-Api not far from the city into a Chinese school. Masidi said he was happy to note that more bumiputra students have enrolled in Chinese schools in Sabah. |
| Cops hurt during rally sustained only light injuries Posted: 01 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST KUALA LUMPUR: The two policemen who were reported to be hurt during the protest at Dataran Merdeka's New Year celebrations sustained only light injuries. City police chief Senior Deputy Comm Datuk Mohmad Salleh said one of the policemen sustained injuries to his head from a drink can thrown at him near Lot 10. The other policeman, who was on duty at Dataran Merdeka, fell and sustained injuries to his lip when demonstrators pushed through the police cordon. "Both policemen later received outpatient treatment," he told reporters at the police headquarters here yesterday. He said a photo carried by the police's Facebook page of a topless man bleeding profusely in the back of a car was not that of a policemen. A correction was later posted on the Facebook page apologising for the error. SDCP Mohmad also said that no arrests were made after thousands of demonstrators protesting price hikes breached barricades separating New Year revellers from the protestors who had converged at the square at 11pm. There were also no reports of injuries to members of the public he added. However, SDCP Mohmad said police had received eight reports about the incident, lodged by City Hall enforcement officers and police officers, including the two injured. "A special team has been formed to investigate the reports. The investigation can be concluded in a week," he said. Related stories: |
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