6œ theSun | TUESDAY APRIL 21 2009

news without borders

Probe into lecturer’s

Blogging community split
by Tim Leonard
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PETALING JAYA: The local
blogging community, especially
the socio-political bloggers, have
become more divided since the
March 2008 general election.
Harris Ibrahim, who blogs at
The People’s Parliament, said the
divide between pro-government
bloggers and non pro-govern-
ment bloggers was becoming
wider.
National Alliance of Bloggers
(All-Blogs) pro-tem president
Ahirudin “Rocky’s Bru” Attan
said the divide was a natural
evolution of the bloggers’ com-
munity. don’t share the
“Without mentioning names,
before March 8, those pro-gov-
same platform.”
ernment wanted change and
those who were not pro-govern-
ment also wanted change,”
said Harris.
“But now, its very politi-
cal. We don’t share the same
platform,” he said, when
asked to comment on blog-
gers who have suddenly
taken a very pro-govern-
ment stand compared with
when they started out.
“Socio-political bloggers
make a small number of
the total bloggers out there.
And the socio-political ones
are not homogenous,” he
said.
Asked if local bloggers had achieved
what they set out to do with their blogs,
which is mainly to advocate change and
reform, Harris said: “It’s hard to say we
are getting there. Nothing has changed,
the status quo remains.”
Ahirudin said before the March 2008
general election, everybody wanted
change, which was to change the previ-
ous administration.
“Change happened. The common goal
was achieved,” he said, referring to the
political tsunami.
“Now, we are in unchartered territory
and everyone starts pursuing their own
agenda, their own leanings. It’s a natural
evolution, although it is quite academic.
“This has split wide open the blogger-
sphere,” he said, referring to the divide
Former CLP director’s
although bloggers were more
divided now, “something good
should come out of it, continu-
ously pushing for changes”.
Another blogger, who de-
clined to be named, said the
divide was good “in that the
true colours of bloggers are
exposed”.
“Some started out as genu-
inely interested in change but
now, they have become apple
polishers,” he said.
“But at the end of the day,
blogging is a personal thing. It is
just a reflection of who they re-
Now it’s very It is up to ally are. However, it is important
political. We bloggers to for a blogger not to compromise
their principles and values,” he
express their likes added.
and dislikes.” Information, Communica-
tion and Culture Minister Datuk
– Harris Ibrahim – Ahirudin “Rocky’s Seri Dr Rais Yatim recently said
of People’s Parliament Bru” Attan
bloggers could be divided into
three types – those who
write the truth, those who
exploit the sentiment of
the people and those who
write inaccurate facts and
make wild allegations.
He warned those
who wrote untruths and
touched on personal and
sensitive matters that they
would be penalised under
the Communications and
Multimedia Act.
“They can criticise the
government but if they
among pro- and non pro-government write untruths, then we
bloggers. will take action under the act,” he told
Ahirudin, a former newspaper editor, reporters recently.
described the “developments” as a good “When the law is not respected, the
thing since readers of blogs and tradi- country will be in disarray. I plan to
tional media would be better informed enlighten the bloggers on the act when I
“when they choose to read a particular meet them soon,” he said.
blog”. Rais plans to meet the blogging com-
He said it was up to bloggers to express munity for a briefing soon.
their likes and dislikes. He said invoking legal proceedings was
Bernard “Zorro Unmasked” Khoo says the last resort for bloggers who run foul of
the main focus for bloggers should be on the law because “it is more important to
reform and good governance. forge harmonious rapport”.
“Along the way, our agenda changed,
and we have a long
way to go,” he said,
referring to the roles
bloggers play in cur-
rent times.
Khoo said
‘sympathy marks’ case
by Tan Yi Liang
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Qualifications Agency
(MQA) has begun a probe into a former public university
lecturer’s allegations that she was forced to resign for refus-
ing to give “sympathy marks” to underperforming students.
“The Complaints and Enforcement Unit is heading the
investigation. We are looking into this because this is about
quality,” said MQA spokesman Muhammad Muammar
Gadaffi.
Muhammad, who spoke to theSun yesterday, said cur-
rently “we are checking the validity of the claims which
were published in the Malay language daily Kosmo! last
week”.
“We do not know if the accusation is valid or not. We
have to see what Kosmo! reported, and we do not know who
the teacher is,” said Muhammad, who declined to comment
further on the probe.
“It is still too early to make any comment,” he said.
The lecturer, who spoke anonymously on April 15, told
the paper that she had resigned from Universiti Sains Islam
Malaysia (Usim) as she was unable to tolerate the pressure
to give out “sympathy marks” to students who had failed an
examination set and marked by her.
In that examination, only four out of a class of 157 passed,
prompting the university to send her a letter through the
faculty dean calling for an explanation for the high failure
rate.
She was then criticised heavily by her superiors who
allegedly pressured her into adding marks based on the
attendance of students.
She refused as she felt it was the responsibility of the
students to turn up for classes.
“How am I to give them more marks if they are unde-
serving. I have given all the marks I can even though the
students do not deserve them,” said the lecturer, who had
been teaching in Usim’s law faculty since 2007.
However, her allegations were dismissed by Usim vice-
chancellor Datuk Dr Abdul Shukor Husin who said the
university had a clear procedure for marking test papers and
that Usim had been ISO 9001:2000 accredited since 2004.
“We obtained our ISO 9001:2000 accreditation on Nov
11, 2004, and we were re-accredited on Jan 8 last year by
the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia
(Sirim). This proves that we have clear and transparent
procedures in place,” said Abdul Shukor in a press confer-
ence on Sunday.
He said examination results were first scrutinised in a
meeting of the faculty’s undergraduate exams committee
before being validated by the University Senate.
“We also have an external panel that oversees the aca-
demic and examination system,” he said.
July 28 hearing for
couple charged
with insulting
Sultan
KUALA TERENGGANU: A ses-
sions court here yesterday
fixed July 28 and 29 for the

jail term stays trial of a couple charged

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court
upheld yesterday the three-month jail
sentence imposed on former Certificate
in Legal Practice (CLP) examination
director Khalid Yusoff.
In dismissing Khalid’s appeal against
conviction and sentence, Judicial Com-
missioner Zainal Azman Abdul Aziz said
the sessions court’s decision on July 31,
2007, was accurate and that miscarriage
of justice had not occurred.
Khalid, 57, a former Universiti Te-
knologi Mara Law Faculty dean, was
convicted of altering the results of CLP
examination for financial benefit at the
Legal Profession Qualifying Board of-
fice in Menara Tun Razak, Jalan Raja
Laut, between August and September
2001.
He was also found guilty of cheating
the board into believing that the exami-
nation master list contained marks given
by examiners and inducing the board to
approve the list at the same place and
time.
Khalid, a father of three, was in court
throughout the appeal proceedings after
he was released on RM20,000 bail with
one surety.
After delivering the verdict, Zainal
granted Khalid a stay of sentence pend-
ing a further appeal.
Earlier, Zainal said he considered
three main issues, namely the examina-
tion marking scheme,
transfer of marks and
document forgery.
He said when Khalid
took over the handling
of the examination from
Prof Datuk P. Balan, he
had received guidance
and briefing from the
latter on all aspects of
handling the examina-
tion.
“It was impossible
to say that Khalid did
not know the marking
scheme and Balan’s evi-
dence showed that the scheme was kept
in a safe in the CLP office and Khalid
knew about the scheme,” he added.
On the transfer of marks issue, he
said, typist Hanizah Dol who worked
with Khalid had given evidence that
Khalid had used a pen to alter the marks
in the master list and the accused had
ordered him to type the altered marks.
“The witness’ evidence was so clear
that Khalid had changed the marks even
though he did not have authority to do
so,” said Zainal.
He said two examiners - Saseedharan
Menon and K. Chandra - had also given
evidence that they only gave recommen-
dations and that it was Khalid who had
altered the marks himself. – Bernama
with posting offending com-
ments against the Sultan of
Perak on the Internet.
Judge Muhamad Khalid
Ibrahim fixed the dates
after the case came up for
mention.
Businessman Fuad Ariff
Abdul Rashid, 35, and his
wife, Fatimah Maisurah
Abdullah, 34, a lawyer, are
charged with two counts of
posting the comments on
http://books.dreambook.
com/ duli/duli.htm/ which
is linked to the website of
the sultan’s office at www.sultan.perak.
Student entrepreneurs ... gov.my at No. 1206, Kampung Tok Kaya,
Chabang Tiga, here at 7.57am and 8.01am
THE Education Ministry’s sport, art and curriculum director. on Feb 14.
Jame @ Maikal bin Alip, speaks to students of SMK Bandar They face a maximum RM50,000 fine
Utama Damansara 2, after the launch of the ExxonMobil or one year’s jail, or both, under the Com-
Young Entrepreneur (EYE) programme in Kuala Lumpur munications and Multimedia Act 1998 if
yesterday. convicted. – Bernama
Some 180 hopeful entrepreneurs from six schools in
Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Port Dickson will get the op-
portunity to form and run their own ‘companies’ under the Strong winds
programme. Established in 1991, the project is to allow KUALA LUMPUR: Winds of up to 40 to
students to experience all aspects of running a business, 50kmph and waves of up to 3.5m high are
from establishment right up to writing annual reports. expected to lash the waters off Kelantan,
Under the programme, participating schools will receive Terengganu, western Sabah, Labuan, Layang-
RM1,000 from ExxonMobil as ‘seed money’. Layang, Condore, Palawan and Reef North
ExxonMobil Subsidiaries Malaysia executive business for four days from today. The Meteorological
services director Fatimah Merican said aside from helping Department warned that the strong winds
students learn about business, the programme also aids and rough seas were dangerous to small
in their self-development. vessels. – Bernama