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Sunday November 5, 2006

The week that was

HOT JOBS: (Oct 30) The hot jobs in the market right now are in the Customs and Immigration Departments, according to the Public Services Commission website. About 76,662 people applied for 1,104 vacant positions for immigration officers while another 78,113 vied for 867 posts of Asst Supt of Customs, it said.

WATER TARIFF UP: (Oct 31) Water tariffs for residents of Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya were raised. The increase is seen as a means by the Government to get consumers to conserve water, as they would not have to pay more if they kept their usage below 20 cubic metres a month. Consumers will have to pay 13% more for every cubic metre used for the next 15 cubic metres, and 17.6% more for every cubic metre after 35 cubic metres.

HIGH-TECH CENTRES: (Oct 30) Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn said the Government would embark on a programme to provide high-tech research facilities, in a move to attract foreign-based research experts to return home. The programme would be carried out under the 9th Malaysia Plan and would include providing research facilities with state-of-the-art equipment and government grants to conduct research.

PROFESSIONAL COUNCILLORS: (Oct 31) Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting clarified that state governments can appoint professionals as councillors in local authorities. He said the Local Government Act does provide for the appointment under section 10(2) of the Act.

RESEARCH FUNDING: (Oct 31) UPM was given the biggest research funding allocation under the Higher Education Ministry’s Fundamental Research Grant Scheme. The grants given to 746 researchers amount to RM67.9mil and would be mostly used for research in technology and engineering, Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said. Researchers would have to submit progress reports every six months to the ministry.

KEEPING WATCH: (Oct 31) Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said random checks would be conducted on private clinics to ensure they comply with the requirements of the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act. The deadline for the registration of private clinics ended on Oct 31.

SEEKING TIPS: (Oct 30) Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott held bilateral talks at the Deputy Prime Minister’s official residence in Sri Satria. Najib said Prescott, who was in Kuala Lumpur for a four-day visit, had expressed interest in knowing how the Malaysian Government had made Islam the nation’s official religion and how it was administered.

DEADLIER FLU STRAIN: (Oct 31) A new resistant strain of the H5N1 virus, which is deadly to humans and poultry, has been spreading throughout the region. Dubbed the Fujian-like strain, scientists believe it may have mutated in response to vaccination programmes designed to halt the disease in farm flocks. WHO has already expressed fears that a bird flu pandemic was almost certain in the near future and, in a worst-case scenario, could kill millions worldwide.

AUSSIE RAPE ROW: (Nov 2) Australian Muslims retaliated against what they called a hysterical attack on their community over remarks by the country’s top Islamic religious leader, Sheik Taj Aldin al-Hilali, on women and rape. A group of 34 Muslim organisations issued a statement condemning the reaction by media and politicians to the mufti’s description of scantily-clad women as “uncovered meat” inviting rape.

RICH GETTING YOUNGER: (Nov 2) Business magazine Forbes released its list of the richest business people which, among others, stated that in China, the rich are getting younger. One quarter of those in this year’s 400-person Forbes China Rich List are under age 40. This year, Wong Kwong-yu, a 37-year-old appliance merchant and founder of Gome Appliances, saw his wealth expand to US$2.3bil (RM8.4bil), driven by a jump in home-buying by China’s newly prosperous middle class.

DISAPPEARING SEAFOOD: (Nov 3) US and Canadian researchers reported that the world’s fish and seafood could disappear by 2048, as over-fishing and pollution destroy ocean ecosystems at an accelerating pace. The four-year study was published in the issue of the US journal Science and the analysis done was the first to study all existing data on ocean species and ecosystems and synthesise them to understand the importance of biodiversity at the global level.

CHEN IN TROUBLE: (Nov 3) Prosecutors in Taiwan said they have enough evidence after a month-long probe to indict President Chen Shui-bian on corruption charges in connection with his handling of a secret diplomatic fund, which is used to sustain Taiwanese diplomatic efforts abroad, significantly adding to pressures on him to resign.

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