DR MOHD SAFAR HASIM

Title of Book: Tokoh dan Akhbar Melayu: Penebus Peminggiran Melayu Author : Mazlan Nordin Publisher : UKM Press Year Published: 2009 ISBN : 9789679429152 In the market: August , 2009 Tan Sri Mazlan Nordin, 84, was awarded The Most Eminent Journalist of UKM, authored the book entitled Tokoh dan Akbar Melayu: Penebus Peminggiran Melayu. The book is expected to be in the market by August 2009. For Tan Sri Mazlan, who worked as a journalist for the last 50 years, the book is his labour of love. He started researching about several prominent journalists before his time while serving as a resident writer at the School of Media and Communication Studies from 2004-2006. His research include Abdullah Munsyi , Ibrahim Yaacob, Rahim Kajai, Ishak Haji Muhammad, Ahmad Boestamam, and A Samad Ismail. Each of them has special stories about them not normally known by the people. This book, for the first time (if not mistaken) recognised Abdullah Munsyi as a journalist. Abdullah Munsyi...

The Yang Di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir will be proclaimed as the new Chancellor of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia on 21 July 2009. Tuanku Muhriz is the third Chancellor after Tuanku Jaafar ibni AlMarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman who passed away recently. Allahyarham Tun Abdul Razak Hussein was the first Chancellor of UKM. On the same day, the former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will received his Honorary PhD (Civilisational Islam) degree from Tuanku Muhriz.

Two Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia graduates have been appointed to senior positions in the media organisations. Datuk Ibrahim Yahaya, who obtained his masters degree in communication management from the School of Media and Communication Studies, was appointed the Director General of Broadcasting, atthe Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture from March 16, 2009. While Mior Kamarulbaid bin Kamarul Shahid who obtained a similar masters degree was appointed the Group Editor of Berita Harian from July 7, 2009. Datuk Ibrahim previously worked as a journalist withv Berita Harian, editor of TV3, Berita Publishing, media consultant of RM and advisor to the Minister of Information. Datuk Ibrahim, popularly known as Tiger among friends is a blogger at duniatiger.blogspot.com. Similarly, Mior Kamarulbaid served in Berita Harian as a journalist before being appointed as its Deputy Group Editor. After leaving Berita Harian he worked with TVUmno and was an editor with Millejium Publi...

Cattleya: First bloom from my mini garden If all people can be as pure as this orchid, I think laws are irrelevant. Abolish ISA Movement has a new supporter in Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, former Prime Minister of Malaysia. This is perhaps the strongest voice yet in support of abolising the law seen by many as very restrictive and draconian. No doubt the Government will take due cognizance of this new support. But the reality is whether the law, a remnant of the Malayan Emergency, is still relevant in the present circumstances. The recent Jakarta bombing of two international hotels will not go unnoticed by the Government and rightly so. In principle, I believe, under the present circumstances, many would agree that the law should remain but some amendments have to be made to the law to reduce its "harshness". Prof Reginald Hugh Hickling, when he was at the AG Chambers, was responsible for drafting the ISA when Malaya wanted to end the 12-year Malayan Emergency i...

The term "Vision 2020" has created something not really intended in the actual plan. To be sure, the figure 2020 is a play of words, a pun. However, many thought it was the year Malaysia would achieve a developed nation status. For instance, Edaris Abbu Bakri in his book Pengurusan Strategik: Konsep dan Aplikasi untuk Pendidikan , published by Utusan Publications and Distributors Sdn Berhad, 2004, took the year to be part of a vision. On page 22, he described a vision as brief, compact, to the point and not more than 25 words. Additionally, he wrote, a good vision must answer questions such as WHAT, FOR WHOM, and WHEN. He made reference to Vision 2020 "which stated the year 2020 as the year to determine the success of the national vision." The other meaning, a perfect sight, is more credible. Vision 2020 is a long-term target for Malaysia to achieve developed nation status. If it can be achieved in the year 2020, well and good, but under the current ec...

Today, the 21st of July 2009, is a historic day for Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Tuanku Muhriz Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir will be proclaimed the new Chancellor of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. His Majesty is the third Chancellor after Tuanku Jaafar Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman, and Abdul Razak Hussein. A second historic occassion is the awarding of the Honorary PhD degree to Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia.

The arrival of the Yang DiPertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan at the Dectar compund Photo Credit: PRO UKM

YABgh Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, former Prime Minister receiving his Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy scroll from the Chancellor of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Tuanku Muhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir in a special ceremony today. The award was given in recognition of his role as the nation's leader and for introducing innovations including the concept of Civilisational Islam in nation building. In his speech, he elaborated on the Islam Hadhari concept which he said was not a new religion or a new mazhab. It was just an approach towards development. It too can accept universal values so long as they not against Islam. The Director of Institute Islam Hadhari, Prof Dato' Mohd Yusof Othman who delivered the public lecture in the form of a seloka, managed to mimic Tun Abdullah's northern way of speaking. Tun Abdullah stressed that Muslims should show the way that the teachings of Islam, which is based on moderation and tolerance and practice high values in life, br...

The internet and blogs in particular are the closest that we now have to the concept of free market place of ideas. Here, all kinds of materials are presented; opinions and views expressed. Some of these opinions and views we may like because they are in conformity with our long-held views, and some we may detest for the oppposite reason. For the same reason, true and false information are being foisted in the internet and blogs in support of a particular cause. The general public may not know which information are true and which are false. John Milton (1632-1704) sowed the idea of free market place of ideas when said: "Let Truth and Falsehood grapple; whoever knew Truth put to the worse in a free and open encounter?", (Areopagitica and Of Education, 1951, AHM Publishing Corporation, Arlington Heights, Ill 60004, page 50). Milton said this in a speech delivered in English Parliament in 1644. The essence of his speech was on press freedom as he was against censorship...

Transferred from my other blog. Caution...This is last year's posting. The Home Ministry (KDN) has issued a prohibition order banning 13 publications with immoral contents, unsuitable for reading public (See Bernama, 21 July, 2009). The banned publications include: Cinta Awak Dalam Sehari, Pengantin Remaja, Masalah Seksual Yang Anda Malu Tanya, Rahsia dalam Rahsia Di sebalik Tirai Kamar Suami Isteri, Isteri Romantik di Kamar Yang Indah, dan Suami Romantik di Kamar Yang Indah. Others are: Senggama kubur, Rintihan Jiwa Seorang Lesbian, Oh Fazrah, Serakah Anak-anak Zombie, Menyingkap Rahsia Keistimewaan Wanita, Pertama Gemilang dan Khazanah Mutiara Hikmah Suami Isteri dan Bakal Pengantin. Gazetting of the prohibition order was made under section 7(1) of the Publication and Printing Presses Act 1984, punishable under sub-section 2, section 8 of the Act. Principal Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Aziz Abdul Latif, said it was an offence to print, pr...

11 Nov. 2009 Almost a year ago, three of us from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, namely Assoc. Prof Dr Zamri Arifin and Assoc Prof Dr Azmi Ariffin, and I visited Fayoum University, about 100 km south of Cairo, to forge closer ties with the university. We are part of a group doing research on Middle East tourism. Fayoum University is one of 12 universities in Egypt with tourism faculty. The following is an account of the visit that appeared in the Fayoum University's website (News Archives). The official pictures below were taken during a courtesy call on President of Fayoum University where we exchanged our respective universities' plaques. "17-Nov-2008 President of Fayoum University Prof. Dr. Ahmed El Gohary and Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development Prof. Dr. Abdel Hamid Abdel Tawab Sabry received Sunday 16/11/2008 a delegation from the National University of Malaysia. The delegation also embraced a number of professors of communicati...