Saturday, November 30, 2013

It's Their Mangoes To Begin With

Star Q
i.  STPM 2013


Beginning January next year, a whole bunch of people's representatives will be getting tens of thousands in pay hike.  Mind you, the pay hike is not the ordinary pay hike of 5 percent or 10 percent that  civil servants or other 'servants' of this country get on a timely basis.  This pay hike comes more than double for each of these representatives and this comes only after their second term in office.  I realise, you need money in order to give something back, but a pay hike of more than double your current salary, is certainly taking advantage of your positions and the trust that the people have for you.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Candidates Already Penalised

Star Q
i.  STPM 2013



There was indeed some truth in what was mentioned in a letter to the Star newspaper written by Sophyta of Baling Kedah.  She pointed out that the SPM 2013 candidates who sat for the Moral paper should not be penalised for the blunder made by the exam syndicate.  For these candidates however, this is the least of their problems.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Friday and Saturday for Johor!

Star Q
iii.  STPM 2013


First of all let me congratulate His Highness the Sultan of Johor for making a bold move in changing the weekend for Johor back to Friday and Saturday.  I say 'back' because Johor's weekend before the early 90's was in fact Friday and Saturday before it was changed to Saturday and Sunday because someone thought it was easier to accommodate the similar working days with Singapore, making it easier for business transactions.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Hanging Our Dirty Linen In Public

Star Q



The letter written by En Hassan Talib of Gombak to The Star newspaper which was published on 14th November 2013, which gave glowing remarks about the English proficiency of the youths of a neighbouring country was not the only thing that got my attention.  The statement that really grabbed me was the statement made by our Second Minister of Education who admitted that 75% of our English teachers are not fit to teach English.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Still Alive and Kicking

Star Q


As the duration of your services as an employee draws to an end, you tend to notice a few peculiar things that you previously ignored or thought would never happen to you.  As for me,  even though I still have a few more years to go, I too am getting these feelings and it is not because I am inferior or paranoid.  My colleagues and my families will say that I am paranoid (even though they will not say it straight to my face!) and that no such thing is happening.   

However, I really have noticed these changes, especially in the delegation  of tasks by the administrators at my work place as early as one year ago.  The first of these changes was my task as the delegated master of ceremony every time we organised functions, be they at district or state level.  It was by pure luck that my late principal in 1996 plucked me amongst the teachers to stand in for a colleague who was supposed to be the MC but had been taken ill.  From that moment on, I was never left out as the master of ceremony for every event or function, big or small.  But recently I seem to have fallen out of favour with the administrator since he had gone out of his way to recruit a new MC.

Another disturbing turn of event is my exclusion from teaching certain classes.  Not that I haven't been performing or that the classes I taught, hadn't been doing well; in fact 100% passes for the classes that I taught, two years in a row, should be some kind of indication that I can still teach these classes.  Sadly, my services with these classes is no more needed and is delegated to 'shepherd' the submariners; the ones that most teachers wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole!  And all the brilliant students in the brilliant classes are taken by the brilliantly young educators.  True, wisdom comes with age; but definitely not opportunity.

One more thing that I have noticed is that I have also been excluded from the list of teachers to attend courses.  I have noticed that the administrators have been leaving on the side-line when there are courses that need to be attended.  In fact, they have even ignored me when I personally requested to attend some courses.  So, it is the young ones who get to go for courses and at the end of the year are able to write glowing reports for their achievements for the year.

I read somewhere that you should not give 100% to your employer because at the end of the day, he will give you nothing.  Instead, give your family 100% because your family will give you back all that you have given them, and more.  I suppose, it's time I learn my lesson.


Friday, November 8, 2013

It's A Free Country : The Firecrackers!

Star Q

Yes, Malaysia is a free country but some of her citizens are taking the phrase very literally; which means they think they can do whatever they like and whenever they feel like doing them.  It also means that they can throw caution to the wind and forget about the needs and sensitivities of others as long as their desires are fulfilled.

After Two Years.....

Can't believe that I have been too busy to write that I have actually left this blog untouched for two long years.  A lot of thing...