YOUNGSTERS AND THE WAY FORWARD FOR MALAYSIA

YOUNGSTERS AND THE WAY FORWARD FOR MALAYSIA

Malaysia is changing for the better. There will, of course, be many analyses on the hows and whys of the historic 14th general election on May 9 but I want to focus on the future.

 One thing I will say is that it is very clear that young Malaysians along with the rest of the country voted for change. They also actively participated in bringing change. Countless young Malaysians worked on campaigns or acted as volunteers.

They are creative, intelligent, passionate and, most important, patriotic. These young Malaysians have taken on the challenge to drive the nation forward, and they’re doing it with some fresh, amazing ideas. Here are some of their stories.

Can The Malaysian Youth Progress Our Country in the Future?

Their potential today is a glimpse into the future

Nizam says that the younger generations of today have been nurtured by certain values and practices passed down from their parents’ and grandparents’ generations. That, combined with easier access to education and information on the Internet, have expanded their minds.

“That’s why the younger generations have come much further than any one of us older folks!” he says.

This statement will resonate with you if you have been following the 2050 National Transformation dialogue sessions held by the Government with some 1.5 million young Malaysians around the country.

Youth from these sessions raised matters relating to children’s mental health, human trafficking, creating a civic-minded society, and having a holistic education system, to name a few. This shows how forward-thinking and informed they are about the environment around them.

How do we lead them to the right path?

It is safe to say that the Malaysian youth today are bright, innovative, creative and possess a high degree of general knowledge. However, in order to translate these abilities into actions so they can take Malaysia to greater heights, they need to be provided with the necessary support and guidance.

Nizam says crucible moments – or the challenging times one goes through in life – are imperative elements in shaping a person’s character, and influencing who they become in the future.

“Our national track cyclist Azizulhasni Awang gave me a signed painting that had the word ‘suffer’ on it, and every time I look at it, it reminds me of every experience I had to go through in order to gain new knowledge,” he says.

His advice is for parents, educators and mentors to share experiences of challenges they faced and how they overcame them. They should also give room for the younger generations to make mistakes and learn on their own, as these build resilience into them.

Another point Nizam emphasises is the need to inculcate important values in the young ones.

Calling himself “traditional-minded in some ways”, he says our budi bahasa (polite and caring nature), food and unique approach to language (using “lah” and a fusion of two or three languages) make us uniquely Malaysian, and that all these aspects help to foster a sense of pride and love for Malaysia.

He shares: “When I went to school, back in the 70s and 80s, I felt like I was with a group of like-minded Malaysians. We all wanted to do well for the country. We wanted to go overseas to make our parents proud and come back and contribute to society.”

Nizam’s elders and his environment taught him a sense of pride as well as the importance of unity and love for his country.

If we want to progress as a nation, he says, the right foundations and values need to continue to be handed over to the younger generations, so they realise the role they play in their country.

EDUCATION IN MALAYSIA

EDUCATION IN MALAYSIA

Introduction to Malaysian education

Malaysia is fast proving to be the destination of this world. It is one of the fastest growing Asian countries, with trade, tourism and economic growth all excelling to its fullest. Furthermore, higher education in the country is also spreading its wings, thick and fast. Top global universities are giving away affiliations and opening up their branches within the main city of the country. This has resulted in lots of opportunities for students, not only native and living there, but also abroad to benefit from the top quality education on a much affordable cost, in comparison to countries like the United Kingdom where the cost of education is really high. However, where Malaysia as a country might show a very bright picture, the education within the country still has to grow and evolve to a lot further extent, before it can globally be an attraction for top education and research as well. There are challenges and obstacles within the higher education system, making an impact on the overall progress of this industry and student satisfaction. The government of this country can take strong actions and make possibilities for this sector to prosper and grow. Just like most countries in the world, the education system within this country is structured between two strong pillars. The government and private institution, both seem to have their own distinct issues, but there are some which are found to be relatively common in both the sectors of the country. We will discuss four major and significant challenges that Malaysia currently faces within this education category.

Lack of research and development support

Most of the times, when we hear or talk about this country, we hardly ever relate to anything scientific or education related. This is because; there is no support when it comes to an educated research and development. The country seriously lacks infrastructure which is affordable and efficient enough to provide space for groundbreaking research and scientific breakthrough or opening of a global level research and education center.

The government needs to provide top infrastructure and subsidies, which can allow interest groups to develop their own research space and create opportunities for others, since the country has no issues with the talent. All it needs is the right direction in this regard. Once there is enough support and proper infrastructure developed to benefit from, Malaysian education will automatically start to find its wings and spread it across. There is a dire need of proper structure in place if the country wants its education sector to have the same popularity as its tourism destinations.

Lack of proficient educational leaders

Unfortunately, due to poor support in the development of education, the country has failed to provide top quality local academic and educational leaders who can lead the way and grow others with them. There is a serious gap between students and top teachers to guide them. Global universities rely on talent imported from their origin country, to establish the same standards of education in their branch in Malaysia.

In order to have proficient educational leaders, the government and the education sector can do two things. First, organize the proper trainings and talent exchange, through which native Malaysians can go and learn how educational leaders operate around the world and secondly give them enough opportunity to excel or dedicate their lives within this single category. This will not only promote the talent in Malaysia across the world globally, but will give the native educational leaders and professors a much needed exposure.

Lack of opportunities

There are no significant opportunities for students to look forward to. Be it getting international exposure, a chance to work with global brands or belonging to a top scientific institution. Lack of opportunities creates a negative impact on the overall education scenario of the country. If there are enough opportunities and attractions for students, just like other countries, then the growth in the education sector will quickly pick up the pace.

If there are enough opportunities, then the country will obviously attract both local and foreign talent. It is up to both private and government sectors to create space and those opportunities that people are looking for. Just like tourism, they need to promote this category, just like tourism and other economical areas.

Lack of innovative teaching methods

This country seems to rely mostly on contemporary and traditional ways of learning. There are no new mechanisms or structures in place to enhance learning and introduce creative ways of transferring information through the use of social media and technology.

The easiest solution to this is to arrange enough trainings and experts from abroad who can train into developing and introducing top of the line innovative teaching methods. New and improved teaching ways will help increase learning and make transfer of knowledge much more interesting, seamless and interactive.

FREE TOPIC (STRESS)

WHAT is STRESS?

Stress is any action or situation that places physical or psychological demands upon a person. Stress is part of the fabric of life. As human beings, we cannot isolate ourselves from stress. It can be managed but not done away with. Stress is inevitable. It is a feeling that each person has as a normal human being. However, there are many ways a person can ensure that stress is avoided or minimized.

IS STRESS GOOD OR BAD?

Eustress

• Eustress is a positive stress which drives a person to complete a task. It is something whcih a person needs to have as it motivates him or her to work.

Distress

• Distress is a severe and persistent negative stress which results in excessive psychological or physiological strain. It is the feeling of having to handle more than you can bear.

WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS

• Take change of your life and avoid blaming others
• Organize your life and plan ahead of time
• Build up your self-esteem
• Lead a balanced and healthy lifestyle
• Surround yourself with supportive relationships and avoid toxic individuals
• Have fun and develop a sense of humour
• Let your feelings out and share it with someone close
• Be positive and avoid unnecessary thinking
• Purposeful self-talk
• Smile and relax

SOCIAL ISSUES IN MALAYSIA AND ITS EFFECT TO THE COUNTRY

                                  

   Social Issues In Malaysia and its effect to the country

A social issue or problem is an issue that has been recognized by society as a problem that is preventing society from functioning at an optimal level. It is important to understand that not all things that occur in society are raised to the level of social problems. Four factors have been outlined that seem to characterize a social issue or problem. These include:

1. The public must recognize the situation as a problem.
2. The situation is against the general values accepted by the society.
3. A large segment of the population recognizes the problem as a valid concern.
4. The problem can be rectified or alleviated through the joint action of citizens and/or community resources

Among lots of social issues in Malaysia, i choose 5 social issues that i felt is the worst in Malaysia.

(1) High Rate Of Unemployment Among Graduates 

The cause of unemployed graduates nowadays is the incompatibility in the focus of higher education institutions and the needs of labor market. The reason for that is lack in compatibility as compared to the situation twenty years ago. In addition, there is an increase of competitiveness and volatility in the labor market. The work environment nowadays require graduates to have some work experiences in order to the requirement of qualified employee. Besides that, incompatibility in the knowledge acquired in higher education institution is one of the factor. Besides that, university graduates are lack of experiences and skills. Most of organizations today prefer to have graduates with experience to ensure the employers sustain their economic competitiveness. The number of unemployed female graduates is much higher in comparison male graduates. Moreover, those graduates with essential skills are more preferable compared to them who does not have any skills. They also should have proficiency in English. Other than that, university graduates have to possess their interpersonal skills in order to decrease the number of unemployment among them.

(2) Alcohol Abuse among Teenagers

Teenagers who abuse alcohol increase their risk of negative health effects because their organs, brain and mental capabilities are still growing. There are few most notable negative effects of alcohol abuse on teens, such as:

(i) Addiction and dependence

 Studies prove that the younger a person is when they start drinking the more likely they are to develop a problem with alcohol. In fact, people who reported drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to become dependent on alcohol than those who started drinking later in life. 

(ii)Brain damage. 

Heavy drinking among teens over many years can result in serious mental disorders or permanent, irreversible damage to the brain or nervous system. According to the American Medical Association, scientific evidence suggests that even modest alcohol consumption in adolescence can result in permanent brain damage. 

(iii) Car accidents

When they consume too much alcohol, car accidents do happen. Alcohol-related traffic accidents are a major cause of death among teens. A recent study showed that 28 percent of 15- to 20-year-old drivers who were killed in car crashes had been drinking. Alcohol is often a gateway drug to other illicit substances. Teens that drink are more likely than non-drinking teens to use other drugs like marijuana, cocaine, Ecstasy or heroin.

(3) Drug Abuse among Teenagers

Young people engage in drug use for different reasons than do adults, and as such, they need different treatment methods to help them break the cycle of addiction. Some of the root causes and co-occurring issues that are addressed in teen-specific drug rehab include:

(i) Peer Pressure

A young person’s social group plays an incredibly important role in the choices they make. Being involved with a circle of friends that experiments with drugs makes the individual much more likely to take part in that behavior themselves. 

(ii) Self-image issues

 The cause of many problems among teenagers, including drug addiction, alcohol addiction and eating disorders, coping with a poor sense of self can lead to escapist behavior that includes substance abuse.

(iii) Problems at Home

Many teenagers turn to drugs as a means of escaping their problems at home. This is most common in families where there is physical abuse, sexual abuse or other forms of neglect and conflict.

(iv) Co-occurring disorders

Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression and eating disorders are among the most common mental health disorders among teens that co-occur with drug abuse and addiction. These problems will need to be addressed at the same time that drug abuse is treated in order to achieve optimum success.

(4) Baby Abortion among Teenagers

Abortion means termination of pregnancy, it can either be spontaneous or induced. Spontaneous is known as miscarriage, while induced simply means termination of a pregnancy which is planned. Recently, the statistics have shown an increase in abortion 

rate year after year. Abortion can cause by social, economic or pregnant women health condition as well.

There are several reasons as to why abortion among teenagers is reaching alarming proportions. Factors like peer pressure, inadequate sex education, casual attitude towards sex and some sexual materials available in the media today, are some of the factors that greatly contribute to early pregnancy among teenagers leading to unexpected pregnancies. For this, most teens opt for abortion because of concerns that having a baby would derail their important goals in life. They also worry about financial responsibilities involved in raising a child.

Most teenagers who engage in risky behaviors do so due to lack of knowledge about the consequences involved. According to research, teen abortion is the result of modern attitude to sexuality. Not only does parenthood bring devastating effects on most families, but children born to teenagers are prone to malnutrition, abuse and neglect. As the figure of early pregnancy keeps rising, most teens find themselves wondering which path to take. Sadly, they either choose to abort their pregnancies or become teenage parents.

Those teens who form romantic relationships have higher chance of engaging in sexual activities than those who don't. It is vital to understand that with proper and adequate sex education for our children, we can help prevent teen abortion. With today's fast paced society where most parents are busy with their careers, a lot of them only spend limited time with their kids. It is important to spend sometime with our children, listen to them and have a little talk. Relying on schools is not enough because most public schools are allowed to only speak about abstinence sex education and therefore its up to the parents to ensure their children are well educated about this subject to be able to make smart decisions.

The society as a whole has a role to play in preventing teen abortion before it totally gets out of control. We need to find a workable and lasting solution that will bring to an end the high rate of abortion. Statistics may have imperfect measurements, however, they help us understand and see the facts in most aspects of life and understand that something is not right. Both teenagers and parents have a role to play. If you are a teen, ensure you educate yourself against unexpected pregnancy and for parents, it is our responsibilities to regularly teach our teens about the dangers of unprotected sexual activities.

(5) Teen Suicide

Causes of teenage suicide can be difficult to pinpoint and may involve several factors. Teens go through a vulnerable period at this stage in their lives. No matter how small or big their problems, their troubles may feel unbearable or overwhelming. Noticeable changes in behavior, such as withdrawal from friends and family or violent and aggressive behavior, are among the many signs of potential teen suicide, but parents and mental health care providers also need to understand the causes of suicide in teens for effective prevention.

(i) Major Disappointment

Suffering through a major disappointment such as rejection, loss of a boyfriend or girlfriend and failure at school or in sports may trigger suicidal tendencies in teens, who have difficulty coping with these kinds of situations. These circumstances alone may not be responsible for suicide, but they are factors that contribute to a teen's taking extreme measures, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI, points out.

(ii) Stress

Stress, confusion, pressure and worries about self-worth are common problems in many teens that can trigger suicide, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Teens may have to go through parental divorce, moving in with a new family, living in a new location or going to a different school. In some cases, teens may be victims of physical or sexual abuse. These are unsettling matters that intensify uncertain feelings such as distress, anxiety or agitation.

(iii) Depression

Depression is a major cause of suicide that can be present in the teenage years. This mental disorder can cause feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness, according to Kids Health. Depression can be particularly harmful for teens who experience violence at home or at school and feel isolated from their peers or lack a social network of friends. Approximately 75 percent of people who commit suicide suffer from depression, according to the Harris County Psychiatric Center at the University of Texas.

(iv) Substance Abuse

Drug or alcohol abuse can lead to impulsive behavior, especially if a teen is haunted by other problems such as a mental disorder or family difficulties. Like adults who turn to alcohol or drugs, teens may believe that substance abuse will bring them relief from surrounding difficulties, but it only worsens the problems. Substance abuse and mental disorders play prominent roles in a majority of suicides, Kids Health notes.

(v)Biology

Genetic components related to brain chemistry may be involved in teen suicides, NAMI notes. Teens with a family history of mental disorders or suicide are at increased risk of suicide or suicide attempts. Being in an environment in which a suicide has occurred with a relative could produce thoughts of suicide for vulnerable teens. Low levels of the brain chemical serotonin may be a cause of suicide, NAMI says. Serotonin controls impulsive actions. Low levels of the chemical may lead to impulsive behavior, including suicide.

TOURISM IN MALAYSIA

My Understanding On Tourism In Malaysia

Hello everyone! I’m back. Today I would like to share with all of you about the tourism in Malaysia. Tourism refer to the trips that involve travelling of people outside the place of their residence or work for leisure, pleasure, vacation, business, personal, or other purposes.

Tourism is an important source of income for many countries. Nowadays, it is considered an industry. Tourism is important for the growth and development of a developing country like India. The advantages and disadvantages of Tourism will be discussed in this blog.

Advantages of Tourism

1. Employment – Tourism provides employment opportunity for local people. Tourism industry is growing very rapidly in india employing millions people.

2. Meet New People – It helps the local people to get in touch with the people and country. It also helps building international relations.

3. Spend time with families – The life of modern people is hectic. They are too busy in their professional life. There is immense pressure even on children. Hence, such people plan for a holiday trip to spend quality time with their families.

4. Cultural Exchange – Tourism gives opportunity to people of various cultures to assimilate together. People belonging to various cultures meet together and understand each other. This gives them an opportunity to build respect for each other. Hence, it fosters cultural harmony.

5. Recreation – Travel based recreation provides relief from the monotony of daily routine. A change in place and climate helps a traveler to recharge his mind, body and spirit.

Disadvantages of Tourism

1. Tourism involves huge expenditure on part of the tourists. Travelling costs includes vehicle hire charges, hotel and resort rent, food cost, etc. This increases the overall spending of the person.

2. Leisure trips are good for health, mind and body. However, hectic trips may cause stress and effect health.

3. It also may lead to environmental hazards such as environment pollution due to use of cigars and plastic bags.

                            

Things that I do And Why

Things that I do and Why

Hello everyone! How was your day today? I hope that everything in a cheerful and memorable moment. Today I would like to share the things that I do and why.

First things that I do is spending time with my parents as I get very little time to spend with them. For me, family is everything and very important thing for everyone as human being. This is because family members teach each other, serve one another and share life’s joys and sorrows. Family time is important because it allows family members feel love and secure. And family also something that we can trust with anything and have them when we have nothing else. When I think about my happiest moments in life, they all involve my family. So spending with my lovely family is the first thing I do always.

I also love to spend time with friends. Study group together, art with friends, having a long conversation with friends, shopping with friends and others. Well, I guess that I love my friends and I don’t really care what it is we do together. For me, as we get older, and life gets faster the time we once had for our friends, seems to diminish. Spending more time with my friends and family is beneficial to my well being as well as my relationships.

Besides, the things that I do most is watch TV and movies. I know, it’s supposedly a waste of time. But I truly appreciate the work that goes into my favorite shows and movies. Writers, actors, makeup artists, set designers, sound crews, directors are those all people who work together to create a show or movie that captivates me. Some of my favorites make me want to be a part of their world. Hahaha I’m truly in imagination but I don’t care anyway.

I also love to explore the interesting places in the world through internet. I’m really excited to discover and gain information about the places that I’m really wanted and dream to travel. This is because I love to travel. It is my dream since I was in primary school. I know it is not easy to go travel to the favorite places in the world but nothing is impossible. The first places that I’m really wanted to go is California because I love the scenery of their beach. It’s very beautiful places. I really hope that one day my dream come true.

Last but not least, the things that I do is gift giving. I haven’t had a lot of money to give gifts over the last few weeks, and yes, it’s the thought that counts…but I still like to give people little quirky gifts and books. I am the book lady, and love finding books about things people are passionate about and surprising them with it.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)

Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP)

Neuro-Linguistic Programming is one of the world’s most prevalent methods of mind control, used by everyone from sales callers to politicians to media pundits, and it’s nasty to the core. Here’s ten ways to make sure nobody uses it on you….ever.

Neutro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is a method for controlling people’s minds that was invented by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in the 1970s, became popular in the psychoanalytic, occult and New Age worlds in the 1980s, and advertising, marketing and politics in the 1990s and 2000s. It’s become so interwoven with how people are communicated to and marketed at that its use is largely invisible.

How exactly does NLP work?

NLP is taught in a pyramid structure, with the more advanced techniques reserved for multi-thousand dollar seminars. To oversimplify an overcomplicated subject, it more or less works like this: first the user,as NLP people often refer to themselves and I should note here that the large majority of NLP people, especially those who are primarily therapists, are likely well-meaning of NLP pays very close attention to the person they’re working with. By watching subtle cues like eye movement, skin flush, pupil dilation and nervous tics, a skilled NLP person can quickly determine :

a) What side of the brain a person is predominantly using;

b) What sense (sight,smell,etc) is most predominant in their brain;

c) How their brain stores and utilizes information

d) When they’re lying or making information up.

After this initial round of information gathering, the NLPer begins to slowly and subtly mimic the client, taking on not only their body language but also their speech mannerisms, and will begin speaking with language patterns designed to target the client’s primary sense.