Sharifah Zohra Jabeen- "Listen, listen, listen" woman

The infamous speaker panelist in a student's forum at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) has sparked an internet phenomenon in Malaysia. The panelist Sharifah got her infamous nickname: "Listen, listen, listen woman" derived her name when she berated second year law student Bawani KS with a staggering 11 times of "Listen" [she then pulled the microphone away from the student] and followed by a 7 times of "Let me speak". The speaker Sharifah is an NGO activist (President of Suara Wanita 1Malaysia) aligned with the ruling coalition of Barisan Nasional government's tagline of 1Malaysia.

I also couldn't agree more with a comment [scarecrow2] on The Malaysian Insider's news

Excerpts:

"4. For that little napoleon [Sharifah Zohra] to berate Mdm Ambiga [Sreenevasan] as an anarchist was most unbecoming and uncalled-for in a forum such as this, or any other fora for that matter. She is NOTHING compared to the Bersih Co-chairman - in character, education, standard, standing, achievement and integrity. Who is she to question and belittle the student who stood up to share her thoughts? " [ Malaysian High Court ruled that BERSIH- Coalition for clean and fair elections chaired by Ambiga is a legal coalition/ entity. In addition, Ambiga and her committee for the coalition were also granted an audience with the previous DYMM His Majesty YDP King Sultan Mizan]

Here's the embedded video for those who yet watch the entire video:

Here's is another video of a dance remix of the "listen, listen, listen" viral video [something light]:

Here's are some links to latest news and comments about the overnight sensation Bawani KS and overnight disgraced Sharifah Zohra.

Disgusted by the conduct of Sharifah Zohra Jabeen

An undergraduate student, Bawani from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) asked in the student forum:
"Why Malaysia can't have free education from pre-school to university first degree?" (She provided example with countries like Argentina and Cuba).

The speaker at the forum, Sharifah Zohra Jabeen answered:
"Don't equate Malaysia with other countries, if you equate Malaysia to other countries, what are you doing in Malaysia? Go to Cuba, go to Argentina, go to Libya, go everywhere." 

in which the speaker Sharifah added a statement refering to Bawani:
"Every human in here has had education, and today I am very sorry that somehow you have proven that you the very least of pendidikan [education]..."

Sharifah then gave a vast examples of problems faced the animal kingdom, cattle, goats slaughtered, sharks killed for their fins and asked Bawani:
 "Have you ever fought for animal rights?"

Sharifah add on:
"If you are not happy, you are very much suitable to go to another university!"

Malaysia 12/1/2013: People's Uprising Rally

Demands:

1. Clean and fair elections

2. Free (Internal Security Act) ISA detainees

3. Strengthen and uphold mother-tongue languages

4. Free education

5. Save national tradition and heritage

6. Save the environment

7. Return oil-royalty to oil-producing states

8. Save FELDA



PTPTN, in its current form, is not sustainable.

As the 13th General Election looms in Malaysia (that must be held by April 2013), the federal opposition (Pakatan Rakyat/ People's Alliance) has promised to abolish the National Higher Education Corporation Fund (PTPTN) and provide free higher education if voted into power. The PTPTN is established in late 1990s to provide interest free loan to Malaysian students of the various instituition of higher learning in Malaysia which cover tuition fees and living expenses.

However, the ruling government (Barisan Nasional/ National Front) accused the policy by federal opposition will bankrupt the nation.

The PTPTN obtains it fund from Employee's Provident Fund (EPF- a social security fund for pensioners) and commercial banks and lend it to the students as interest free loans. However the government has to pay the interests to the commercial banks and EPF of the money it borrowed to fund PTPTN. This means the government is lending money to students and paying the interest on borrowed money. It is also obvious that the interest paid to the commercial banks (who are the owners of these commerical banks?) and EPF are public money (i.e. tax).

Nevertheless,the article "PTPTN, in its current form, in not sustainable" written by Feizrul will present a better picture on what I have to say.

Joshua

The predicament unwanted pregnancies

This recent article posted online "The trials of teen mothers" has bring a rather different perspective for reasons leading to child/baby dumping. The mistake might be the same elsewhere but the journey is still much different from the western societies. Traditional asian values still hold unmarried pregnant ladies as disgraced group.

However, the family must realize the universal value of support and love for any family member that has made a mistake, in the case an unwanted pregnancy.

Western values might differ with Eastern values of treating unmarried pregnant family members but it is time for the families in the East to adopt a culture of receptivity and forgiveness and support for a member that fell into the mistake of unwanted pregnancies.

Parents who were too busy in building material wealth have forgone the importance of building a relationship with their children.

Education policies and educators continue to shun the importance sex education.

Society's continue emphasis of the "feel good" factor rather than the "do good" factor is mainly be blamed. Profit-minded culture in business rather than charitable-minded culture. The ever greed for more money and physical pleasure has brought cast a shadow over the good spirit of human nature.

In the end of the day, the ever increasing cases of baby dumping holds everyone in the society accountable that includes myself. Let us all change our heart and minds for society that is caring, loving and charitable.

Joshua

A letter response to Jon's ex-school

Hi everyone, I am brought to the attention that a highschool kid with alopecia areata has quit school due to the school/ district authority refused to allow him to wear a head gear even with official writing from dermatologists.

Below is my written response to the school's authority (sent on early February 2009) based on the kid's mom letter/discussion on an alopecia forum.

__________________________________________________________________________

5^th February 2009

Our Ref. No.: aasc/asia/oletter/01FEB09-01

Mrs. A., Principal
West Seneca East Senior High School

UNITED STATES

Mrs. A.,

Hello. It is brought to my attention (from a letter written by Sharon Lesakowski- attached for our reference) that a student has quit your school due to the school authority’s refusal to allow him to wear a head covering even though he is diagnosed with alopecia areata (Hairloss due to a medical condition).

The excuse given by the school authority is almost absurd, laughable and mostly unprofessional as per the context given by Mr. Wiley, Assistant Superintendent on a return phone call to Sharon Lesakowski that Jonathan’s way of dealing with his affliction (wearing a bandana) was not acceptable.

This may not be a perfect analogy but it is good enough to reflect a medically illiterate faux pas. It provides an impression that as if the school will penalize a student for flashing gang signs where as the student is actually deaf and communicating in sign language. In this case, it is a student being penalized for promoting gang image where as the student is actually suffering alopecia and requires a head covering to protect his scalp. I believe that you are aware or at least read about alopecia areata. Even though alopecia areata is not a life-threatening or infectious disease itself, covering the hairless area especially the scalp is more than just a psychological comfort to the alopecia patient. Technically, Jonathan’s option of wearing a bandana has physiological reasons behind it. The physiological aspects, a bandana:

1. Keep the head warm during winter.

2. Keep the head (skin) from over exposed with UV during summer.

3. Keep the sweat from going into the eyes due to the loss of eyebrows and eyelashes.

As long as the attire does not offend others in the school, a bandana (with no offensive symbols or design) is not a violation a dress code or district policy given a medically certified condition as what Jonathan has. The school’s policy in Jonathan’s case (his rights) is itself a violation of the United States Constitution’s Bills of Right. In addition, the school’s policy discriminate alopecia patients (in general) of the right to protect their scalp with a bandana. About 2% of the human population and up to 5 million peoples in the United States are affected by alopecia areata (Sources by National Alopecia Areata Foundation, NAAF and National Institute of Arthritis, Musculo skeletal and Skin diseases, NIAMS).

As an education institution, the school has failed to provide a comfortable environment where knowledge is to be imparted without partiality and favour, in this case to Jonathan (for wearing a bandana to protect his head). As an alopecia patient myself, I felt insulted and discriminated by the excuse given by the school authority. Equating bandana wearing in general to promote gang image itself is an unacceptable reason and an insult to community of alopecia patients and patients suffering hair loss due to secondary effect (like hormonal problems, burnt victims, cancer patients).

Personally, I hope that the school authority and responsible personnel to provide a full public apology to Jonathan and his family, nothing short of a personal apology and also issue a public apology via local media. I strongly believe that being in the education profession, one should be courageous enough to admit and apologize for the mistake done whether by moral obligation or work ethics.

I am also affected by alopecia areata and have lost all my hair on my scalp. If I were to come to your school to seek education and I chose not to wear anything to cover up my baldness, would I later be “accused” or “penalized” for promoting the skinhead gang because I appeared bald at school? Therefore, I urge the school’s policies/ school district policies in particular the out-dated attire policy to be reviewed immediately in line with proper sensitivity to the medically unwell and needy patients, upholding the Bill of Rights as enshrined in the United States Constitution and finally to function as a school to provide education and conducive environment for students to receive education to avoid unacceptable mistakes like Jonathan’s situation in the future. All kind of responses is most welcome. Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

_________________