Unwise for Soi Lek to blast Nazri for backing Chinese educationists

If you can't beat your enemy, join them. The irony is BN should get as many votes as possible to win the coming general election with all cost.

It doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, as long as it can catch mice, it's a good cat. 

BN is at all the gain by supporting the demands of Chinese-language educationists to get a good number of Chinese votes.

Strategically, it’s unwise for MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek to blast Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz for supporting the demands of Chinese-language educationists although MCA is loggerheads with vocal vernacular education lobby groups.

"Minister in the Prime Minister’s department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz seems to have said that the demands of Dong Zong are fair and let us hope that he will not sing a different tune in Cabinet.

"Nazri is forever playing to the gallery and is fond of commenting without understanding the real issue contained in the memorandum," Dr Chua said in a scathingly-worded media statement.

Yesterday, more than 1,000 members and supporters of the United Chinese School Committees Association (Dong Zong) — had demonstrated outside Parliament while it was in session to push for eight demands it said must be met to resolve the long-standing state of vernacular Chinese education in the country.

Nazri, who is Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, had met with the group and accepted their memorandum, remarking that the demands were "not wrong" as Dong Zong was fighting to protect their mother tongue but which had raised the MCA's ire.

The de facto law minister who is also in charge of parliamentary affairs had also pledged to raise the subject at the next Cabinet meeting.

The Dong Zong demonstration yesterday — codenamed the ‘926 rally’ — appeared to be the culmination of a long-standing stand-off between educationists fed up with the MCA's failure to resolve various education issues central to the Chinese community.

In their memorandum, Dong had highlighted staffing shortage in Chinese schools, namely teachers proficient in the Chinese language; the government's chronic failure to accredit the globally-recognized Unified Examination Certificate (UEC); the difficulty faced by Chinese school board members seeking official registration and the lack of funds to develop Chinese schools.

The clash over vernacular education appears to have hurt the party's standing with Chinese voters crucial in the next general elections due soon.

PR leaders: Tunku Aziz is a BN agent

The opposition is not worth supporting not simply because the former DAP Vice-chairman left the opposition component party and now openly criticized his former party and leaders, instead it seems that it’s on wrong track of opposing at its highest level since independence.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders have labelled Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim a Barisan Nasional (BN) agent who lacks credibility following recent reports where the former DAP vice-chairman has openly criticized his former party and leaders.

The opposition leaders yesterday slammed Tunku Aziz as a traitor in response to the latter’s statement on Friday about his plan to tour the country to open the minds of the people, especially opposition supporters, to make the right decision during the upcoming general election.

Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai described Tunku Aziz’s actions as representing BN, saying the latter was now an agent of the ruling coalition for his attacks against DAP and PR leaders.

“He is now like a BN agent, attacking PR and DAP every day. I pity him for due to his treachery, many have avoided him,” Tan told The Malaysian Insider.

Tan also describe Tunku Aziz as weak and not having any credibility and integrity left. He also accused the former DAP leader of ill intentions for his accusations about the DAP without any basis and proof.

Kuala Selangor MP and PAS leader Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad expressed shock over Tunku Aziz’s statement, saying the latter’s decision to tour the nation was a waste of time.

Dzulkefly also regarded Tunku Aziz’s actions as being those of a BN agent because of its wide coverage in BN-controlled newspapers and television channels.

“This is a wasteful action and a treacherous attitude,” he said.

“If we look at the coverage given to him by Umno and BN-controlled media, it is clear he is a BN agent,” he added.

Rasah MP Anthony Loke agreed with his colleagues that Tunku Aziz was no longer credible.

“He is no longer credible and his words have made people lose respect for him,” Loke said.

He added Tunku Aziz’s accusations about the DAP were baseless and without proof, expressing confidence that people could judge Tunku Aziz for themselves.

Tunku Aziz had in May announced his departure from the DAP over a conflict of opinions with other party leaders over the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28.

Following his departure, Tunku Aziz has been increasingly vocal and critical towards the opposition PR especially the DAP, stirring discontent among his former colleagues.

FOREST RESEARCH IN SARAWAK AND SABAH (NORTH BORNEO)

FOREST RESEARCH IN SARAWAK

The first Forest Research programme of the Sarawak Forest Department began in June 1958.

-Sarawak Forest Department, F orest Research Development Plan, 1966-1970, Introduction.

FOREST RESEARCH IN SABAH (NORTH BORNEO)

Forest Research in North Borneo was first placed on a regular footing with the recruitment of a Forest Ecologist in 1955. Prior to the arrival of these officers, research had been conducted as a part time occupation by administrative Forest Officers, notably H.G. Keith and J. Agama. 

The research problems posed by the opening, in 1952, of the forests of North Borneo to intensive exploitation by modern mechanical methods were so great and so general to character, that it was thought well not to confine research efforts, in the earlier years, by a rigid programme; the general exploratory stage has now passed and with the filling once again of the posts of both Ecologist and Forest Botanist the time is opportune for the publication of this present programme.

-P.F. Burgess, Forest Department, North Borneo, Research Programme, 1960-1964, Introduction