14
news without borders
briefs
Ministry mulls ban on
beta-agonist
PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry will study
a proposal to ban the use of beta-agonist,
a growth enhancer used in the livestock
industry.
Its minister, Datuk Liow Tiong Lai, said
the ban was proposed by the Federation of
Livestock Farmers’ Associations of Malaysia
at the National Beta-agonist Action Commit-
tee meeting yesterday.
“The ministry feels there is merit in the
proposal as it will facilitate monitoring and
curtail abuse of the substance,” he said.
The meeting was also attended by
representatives from the Agriculture and
Agro-Based Industry Ministry, the Veterinary
Services Department and the pharmaceuti-
cal division of the Housing and Local Govern-
ment. – Bernama
Mazu statue case
postponed
KOTA KINABALU: The civil suit filed by
former Sabah chief minister Tan Sri
Chong Kah Kiat against Chief Minister
Datuk Seri Musa Aman and three others
for alleged abuse of power by withdraw-
ing the approval to erect the Mazu statue
in Kudat has been postponed to today.
Judicial Commissioner Yew Jen Kie
allowed the suit to be heard in the High
Court here today as Musa and the sec-
ond defendant, former State Secretary
Datuk K.Y. Mustafa, were not in the state.
– Bernama
Chinese groups give March
ultimatum on use of English
Press Digest
by Kong See Hoh
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
EIGHT Chinese groups, including
education movement Dong Jiao
Zong and Seven Major Clans Asso-
ciation, have called on the govern-
ment to abolish the use of English
to teach science and mathematics in
New Era punching incident ‘barbaric and shameful’
THE Chinese press yesterday gave
wide coverage to an incident at the
New Era College convocation in
Kajang on Sunday in which college
senate chairman Dr Yap Sin Tian was
punched in the face while giving a
speech.
Chinese community and political
leaders condemned the assault on
Yap, who is Dong Zong president,
describing it as barbaric, shameful
and a big blot on image of Chinese
education.
Chinese schools from March.
The call was one of the three
resolutions passed at their joint
meeting in Kajang on Saturday,
China Press reported yesterday.
Dong Zong (United Chinese
School Committees Association)
deputy president Zhou Sou Han,
who chaired the meeting, said if the
government does not give a clear
While some urged the attacker,
who escaped after giving Yap a blood-
ied nose and a fractured cheekbone,
to own up and apologise to the victim,
others demanded that he be severely
punished for his despicable act.
The attacker, wearing a college
shirt, got close to Yap on the pretext
of adjusting the microphone and
caught Yap and 500 students, parents
and guests in the college hall by sur-
prise with his punch in the 10.28am
incident.
theSun
indication by next month whether
English will continue to be used to
teach the two subjects, the groups
will mobilise Chinese support for
a massive rally against English as
medium of instruction for science
and maths as planned by some
Malay groups.
The rally is expected to attract
100,000 participants.
Yap was later admitted to the
Kajang Specialist Hospital for treat-
ment.
Kow Ming Liang, the deputy sec-
retary of Dong Jiao Zong Education
Centre, which operates the college,
said the assault is a tragedy for the
college and it showed that the culture
of violence has reared its head in
Chinese education.
Jiao Zong president Ong Kow Yee
described it as a barbaric act while
the Parents for New Era College
| TUESDAY JANUARY 13 2009
Zhou said the Chinese groups
will also initiate a signature cam-
paign to get the endorsement of
7,000 Chinese guilds and associa-
tions in the country.
At the Sunday meeting, Zhou
and Jiao Zong (United Chinese
School Teachers Association) pres-
ident Ong Kow Yee briefed more
than 100 Chinese educationists and
advocates for Chinese education
on the latest developments on the
government’s implementation of
using English to teach science and
maths.
Ong said the next two months
will be crucial as the cabinet is
expected to make a final decision
on whether to continue with the
“go English” policy after six years
of implementation.
“As such we have to wait until
the cabinet decision to make our
next move,” he said.
Committee expressed shock over
the incident.
Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chi-
nese Assembly Hall president Datuk
Bong Hon Liong expressed fear that
the incident may set a bad example
for the young.
MCA president Datuk Seri Ong
Tee Keat said it was a shameful and
criminal act while the party’s Youth
chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong urged
the police to bring the culprit to
book.