Abolish PTPTN, is it a good move ???

BATU PAHAT: The government needs to spend RM43bil if it were to abolish the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) as aspired by the opposition, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said that scrapping the federal higher education fund PTPTN is possible by eliminating the country’s wasteful expenditure The Pakatan Rakyat PR de facto leader cited the country’s RM150 billion revenue saying that much money was wasted on construction that had ballooned in cost as well as leakages and bribes as reported by the Auditor-General.

The Prime Minister said any move to abolish the PTPTN would impose a burden on the government.

"There are only three countries in the world that fully bear the cost of higher education for the people such as Norway.

"But Norway imposes a high taxation rate on the people," he said when launching the 'Jelajah Janji Ditepati' programme at Batu Pahat Stadium, here.

The government did not want to burden the people by imposing high taxes in order to abolish the PTPTN, said Najib who is also the Finance Minister.

Even now, he said, the government bore about 90% of the cost of higher education for the people, with the PTPTN being utilised only to pay for the tuition fees for the students.

He said this when commenting on the call by the opposition parties which planned to abolish the PTPTN if they were to win the next general election. BERNAMA

What is your view on this matter ???

Singapore - Happiest country in South-east Asia

SINGAPORE - The happiest country in South-east Asia, according to a United Nations (UN) report, is Singapore.

The Republic was ranked 33rd out of 156 countries in the United Nations World Happiness Report, with wealthy Scandinavian nations - Denmark, Finland and Norway - taking the top three positions.

Among other South-east Asian countries, Malaysia came in 51st place, Thailand was ranked 52nd, Myanmar 74th and Indonesia 83rd.

The report, commissioned for the UN Conference on Happiness held in New York on Monday, compiled worldwide survey responses from 2005 until mid-last year to determine the happiness level of 156 countries.

Richer countries tended to be happier, the report found, although wealth was not the defining factor for happiness.

"Political freedom, strong social networks and an absence of corruption are together more important than income in explaining well-being differences," the report said. 

"At the individual level, good mental and physical health, someone to count on, job security and stable families are crucial."

The report reflects a new worldwide demand for more attention to be paid to happiness as criteria for government policy.

The United States took the 11th position and Japan 44th. China, at 111th place, was ranked below Iran (No 84) and Syria (No 106). The least happy country was Togo in west Africa. Agencies

Top 10 happiest countries ...

1. Denmark

2. Finland

3. Norway

4. The Netherlands

5. Canada

6. Switzerland

7. Sweden

8. New Zealand

9. Australia

10. Ireland

Source: todayonline.com

WhatsApp's Threat to Telcos

US-based software startup WhatsApp, the fast-growing mobile messaging service, denies it's a threat to telephone carriers, even as a report said they lost $13.9 billion last year in SMS revenue.

WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton said in a rare interview that WhatsApp was helping carriers move their customers to data packages that would, in the long term, prove more profitable.

'I view it from the perspective that we're facilitating a broad movement to data plans and the entities that provide those plans are the carriers, so they stand to benefit quite substantially,' he said. 'It's all about the data.'

WhatsApp is the most successful of a number of applications that users can download to their mobile phones to share messages, photos and videos.

The applications are popular because while many carriers charge for individual text, or SMS messages, WhatsApp messages travel via carriers' generous or unlimited data plans.

According to Internet traffic monitor Allot Communications, WhatsApp accounted for 18 percent of instant messaging bandwidth in 2011, up from 3 percent in 2011.

There is little question that the growth in applications like WhatsApp is lowering SMS traffic. Stefan Zehle, CEO of UK-based Coleago Consulting, wrote in a blog post in January that mobile operators in Taiwan reported a 12 percent decline in SMS messages in 2011, a drop he attributed directly to users switching to WhatsApp.

The impact on the bottom-line is stark: Ovum, a technology research consultancy, calculated in a report released in February that operators lost $13.9 billion in SMS revenue last year.

WhatsApp doesn't give out much in the way of data. Acton repeated two figures he said demonstrated its stellar rise: WhatsApp handled 1 billion messages a day last October, two years after its launch as a messaging service. Four months later it had reached 2 billion messages a day.

He said that while he was 'happy with all countries of the world,' growth had been particularly strong in the Netherlands and Spain in Europe, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in the Middle East and Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore in Asia.

WhatsApp is keen to emphasize that's it more than a way to send SMS messages cheaply.
'It's more about the service we provide, including photos and multimedia,' said Julia French, WhatsApp's public relations representative.

Acton also emphasized that WhatsApp was available on most mobile operating systems, including not only BlackBerry, Android and iPhone smartphones, but devices running the Symbian 60 software that powers many Nokia phones.

More recently WhatsApp has added applications for Microsoft Windows 7 phones and even the earlier 13-year old S40 Symbian platform, Acton said. More than 60 percent of Indonesian phones run a version of Symbian, according to Internet measurement website StatCounter.

By aiming at all devices, whether higher-end smartphones or more basic feature phones, WhatsApp offers more than a service like RIM's BlackBerry Messaging, which only works on RIM's own phones, or software, which only works on more expensive devices.

WhatsApp, Acton says, has 'created a very accessible network in all countries of the world.'  - Reuters


~KINDLY CLICK ADVERTISEMENT ABOVE / BELOW AS A SUPPORT TO THIS PAGE, THANKS~

New Proton Preve Review 2012

Proton Holdings Bhd has chosen to name its latest car model, "PREVE", to grab the attention of both the local and global markets. 

Previously codenamed P3-21A, Group Managing Director, Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said the new name means proof, or had proven to the world that Proton can produce cars which met every stringent global specification. 

"We want to be a global car maker with a global appearance, global thinking and obviously need a name that signifies where the company is today and where we want to go globally.

"So, we have come up with PREVE, to also showcase the company after 27 years in the automotive industry," he told a press conference here today. 

The media were given an opportunity to test-drive the new car over 156 kilometres. 



Syed Zainal Abidin said the PREVE can garner a higher profit margin for the company with its price range of RM62,000-RM75,000 depending on the version. 

He said the PREVE is scheduled to be officially launched this month by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. 

Proton has given importance to the styling of the car to attract a global audience, while previous models, were more tailor-made for the domestic environment. 



Syed Zainal is also optimistic of monthly sales of 4,000-4,500 units for the new global car. 

He is also confident that the PREVE will prove an attraction for overseas buyers and Proton is undertaking testing of the car at present for sale in South East Asia, Australia and the Middle East. 



Proton has paid much attention to safety features, including body strength improvement, speed and fuel consumption, accessories as well as handling system in creating the global car. -- BERNAMA

~Comparison chart~

Well, the Proton Power of 1 event has come to an end, and so has the five-day build up process, where Proton teased us different parts of the upcoming P3-21A sedan. It didn’t exactly end up being a complete build up, as you can see from today’s photos, with the last piece of item teased being the seats.

These seats are wrapped with fabric, as indicated by the leaked spec sheet. We expect an SE variant in the future to introduce leather seats as well. The rear bench has two headrests and a fold-down arm rest which integrates two cupholders, which is convenient.

P3-21A	Waja	Persona
Length	4,543mm	4,470mm	4,477mm
Width	1,785mm	1,740mm	1,725mm
Height	1,524mm	1,420mm	1,438mm
Wheelbase	2,650mm	2,600mm	2,600mm
Front Track	1,542m	1,475mm	1,475mm
Rear Track	1,542mm	1,470mm	1,470mm
Luggage	506L	408L	430L
Kerb Weight	1,340kg	1,235kg	1,245kg

	P3-21A	Inspira	Altis	2012 Civic	Jetta	Forte	2012 Elantra
Length	4,543	4,570	4,540	4,525	4,644	4,530	4,530
Width	1,785	1,760	1,760	1,755	1,778	1,775	1,775
Height	1,524	1,490	1,465	1,435	1,482	1,460	1,445
Wheelbase	2,650	2,635	2,600	2,670	2,651	2,650	2,700
Luggage	506		475	464	510	495	485
Weight	1,340	1,335	1,315	1,295	1,417	1,359	1,269

So, will you consider Proton Preve or Toyota or Honda Car, which is more worth for your money ???

For more info, click below post,


http://walau2u.blogspot.com/2012/04/review-of-proton-preve-by-paultanorg.html

KINDLY CLICK ADVERTISEMENT ABOVE / BELOW AS A SUPPORT TO THIS PAGE, THANKS.

Source: Bernama, paultan.org

RON97 price up by RM0.10 to RM2.90

The price of RON97 grade petrol will go up by 3.5 percent from midnight tonight, raising prices from RM2.80 per litre to RM2.90.

This new price matches the record prices set in May last year. However, prices fell by RM0.10 per litre the following month.  Petrol Dealer Association of Malaysia Abdul Wahid Bidin confirmed this.

Source: Malaysiakini.com

Type of Job that Suit Your Brain

If we asked you to draw a tree, would you ask if it could be purple and have an attitude, or ask for its scientific name and the desired scale? If you answered with the first response, you may be right-brained, or what Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines as creative and intuitive. The latter response may tell you that you're left-brained, or what is defined as analytical and logical.

Figuring out if you are more creative or logical may help you decide what job better fits your personality, says Dr. Suzanne Anthony, a clinical psychologist. But she adds that most people have a little of both creative and logical thinking.

"While the idea of people being strictly left- or right-brained is exaggerated, it can help people to better understand their strengths and weaknesses, and what careers might fit them best," adds Anthony.

---

And how do you know which side of the brain you favor? It's not as easy as knowing if you're right-handed (traditionally, people associate that with being left-brained) or left-handed, according to Anthony. "It's not that cut and dried," she explains. "A good way to do it is to look back at high school and the subjects that interested you most."

For example, if you loved arts, writing, or sports, you're likely more right-brained. These are more "creative" endeavors. Couldn't wait for math, science, or philosophy to start? They're more left-brained, or logical and analytical subjects.

With that in mind, we used our left brains - or would it be our right brains? - to come up with a list of five great right-brained careers and five great careers for left-brainers. We also included education options - in case you want to use both sides of that brain to start prepping!

---

Right-Brained: 
Elementary School Teacher

There's a reason that every elementary classroom wall is covered with art and color: "You need creativity to make lesson plans fun and interesting for kids," says Anthony. This is where your right-brain creativity can come into play. Intuition to relate to your students can also come in handy.

Elementary school teachers might use games, music, artwork, films, books, and other tools to introduce children to a range of subjects, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Teachers usually provide "the tools and the environments for their students to develop into responsible adults," adds the Department of Labor.

Click to Find the Right Education Program Now.

Education options: Education requirements can vary depending on whether you teach at a public or private school, but most teachers earn a bachelor's in education and can study a broad range of subjects, from math to music, says the Department. An education program could help you prepare to get your teaching license.

Left-Brained: 
Computer Programmer

Even if you're programming the new game for the latest Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster, you're still writing code, bro. "I would think you'd need very good analytic and logic skills for this," says Anthony. Yes, but don't worry - you'll need your fun side for testing your work.

Computer programmers might use theories of computer science and mathematical analysis to create, test, and evaluate software applications and systems for computers, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Sounds pretty left-brained to us.

Education options: Employers typically require a bachelor's degree, but an associate's degree or certificate may be adequate for certain positions, says the Department of Labor. Degree subjects range from computer science, mathematics, or information systems to business fields.

---

Right-Brained: 
Salesperson

What? You didn't think salesmanship was an art form? "Salespeople need to read people through facial expressions and emotions," says Anthony. This allows them to be in tune with whether they're turning people off or not, she says.

Salespeople usually interact with customers and can help them find and buy what they want by determining their needs, says the U.S. Department of Labor. When that something is expensive or complicated, like a car or computer, a salesperson may need to explain the features of various models, adds the Department of Labor.

Education options: Generally there are no formal education requirements for retail sales. However, according to the Department, a college degree in any subject may be required for management trainee positions in some companies, especially larger ones.

Left-Brained: 
Paralegal

Do you enjoy research and logic? If so, a paralegal career might be for you. "Paralegals need to use critical thinking, language skills, and logic," says Anthony. Those are all left-brained attributes. In other words, just the facts, ma'am, just the facts...

Paralegals could perform a lot of the same duties as attorneys. They might investigate facts, identify and research pertinent laws and judicial decisions, help prepare legal arguments and documents, and perform other casework, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Education options: Earning an associate's degree in paralegal studies is the most typical education path, says the Department of Labor. If you've already earned your bachelor's degree, you can look into earning a certificate in paralegal studies, adds the Department.

---

Right-Brained: 
Chef

Anyone who's tuned into the Food Network knows that top chefs have a pinch of science and a pound of creativity. Yes, today's chefs are often considered to be artists. "They exhibit creativity not only in food preparation and knowing what flavors will go well together, but also in recipe creation and dish presentation," says Anthony.

Whether you work in a diner or a fine restaurant, you could put your right-brain characteristics to use as a chef. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, chefs could be responsible for a variety of kitchen-related tasks, from cooking hamburgers to overseeing a kitchen staff, buying foods, creating menus, and doing other kitchen tasks.

Education options: According to the College Board, an organization that administers academic aptitude tests like the SAT, culinary arts programs are often offered at the associate's degree and certificate level. Programs might cover food science, menu planning, and nutrition, says the College Board.

Left-Brained: 
Health Care Administrator

Want to use your (left) brain power to make a difference in how patient care is administered? A career in health care administration could be for you. "Any administrative job needs a lot of analytic and logic skill," says Anthony.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, health care administrators usually plan, coordinate, and supervise the delivery of health care at a facility. They could serve as specialists in charge of a specific department or generalists who manage an entire facility.

Education options: The standard education path is a master's degree in health services administration, health sciences, public health, or another related field, says the Department of Labor. But a bachelor's degree in health services administration could be efficient for some entry-level positions in smaller facilities.

---

Right-Brained: 
Graphic Designer

There’s a reason that graphic designers are also known as graphic artists. These days, of course, most graphic design is done on computer. “Basically, it’s art on a computer,” says Anthony. Even though most work is done on a computer, that's not to say this isn't a highly creative career.

Graphic designers could develop the layout of everything from magazines and books to websites and movie credits, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. To help create an eye-catching design, they select the color, sound, type style, artwork, photography, and other visual elements.

Education options: A bachelor's degree in graphic design or fine arts is generally recommended for most entry-level and advanced positions; however, an associate's degree can sometimes qualify you for a graphic designer's assistant job, says the Department of Labor.

Left-Brained: 
Accountant

The last time we checked, creative accounting methods were frowned upon. Seriously, though, a profession that is known for crunching numbers is pretty left-brained. "It requires a person to [be] good at reasoning, math, and logic," verifies Anthony.

By preparing reports and financial documents, accountants can analyze financial information for companies, individuals, and government bodies, says the U.S. Department of Labor. They also might offer advice for budget analysis and financial and investment planning.

Education options: Most accountant positions usually require at least a bachelor's degree in accounting, or a similar field, says the Department of Labor. A master's degree in accounting or a master's in business administration with an accounting focus could be beneficial.

---

Right-Brained: 
Writer

Do you often create characters and envision their stories in your head? You might be destined to be a writer. "Whether it's for magazines or novels, writers have to tap into their creative mind all the time," says Anthony. "The expression of emotion is very important."

Writers can create original written content in a wide variety of fields - everything from fiction or nonfiction books, to magazines, newspaper journalism, online publications, or public relations, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Education options: A bachelor's degree is generally needed to pursue a career as an author or writer. And when it comes to employers like magazine and website publishers, they typically favor a degree in communications, English, or journalism, says the Department of Labor.

Left-Brained: 
Administrative Medical Assistant

If you can multitask with the best of them, an administrative medical assistant career could put your left-brained qualities to use doing office tasks like answering phones and completing forms. "Though they interact with people quite a bit, they need to be efficient and practical," says Anthony.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, administrative medical assistants could update and file patients' medical records, fill out insurance forms, arrange for hospital admissions, schedule appointments, and even do bookkeeping.

Education options: A certificate or associate's degree in medical assisting is the common education path for administrative medical assistants, says the Department of Labor. These programs could provide more knowledge in everything from anatomy to record keeping.

KINDLY CLICK ADVERTISEMENT ABOVE / BELOW AS A SUPPORT TO THIS PAGE, THANKS.

Source:  education.yahoo.com

Amazon.com VS Wal-Mart

Five years ago, the world’s largest retail chain didn’t have to worry much about the world’s largest online mall. Only about a quarter of Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) customers shopped at Amazon.com (AMZN), according to data from researcher Kantar Retail. Today, however, half of Wal-Mart customers say they’ve shopped at both merchants. That’s leaving the mega-retailer—which long ago bested local brick-and-mortar merchandise stores and supermarkets across America—with a massive online competitor that is too tough to ignore.



Threatening Wal-Mart’s dominance are two trends: The discounter’s traditional customers—bargain hunters making less than $50,000 a year—are getting more tech-savvy, and more-affluent shoppers who began frequenting Wal-Mart during the recession are returning to Amazon as their finances improve. Amazon has moved into merchandise categories that Wal-Mart traditionally has sold, from diapers to vacuum cleaner bags. In its last fiscal year, Amazon posted 41 percent revenue growth, to $48.1 billion, vs. 8 percent at Wal-Mart. The chain’s 2011 online sales amounted to less than 2 percent of its $264 billion in U.S. revenue, says Kantar. “Amazon is always in our sights,” says Jeremy King, chief technology officer at the retailer’s @ WalmartLabs skunkworks in Silicon Valley. “My biggest issue is playing a catch-up game.”


In the last year Wal-Mart has increased its investment in its online business. The company has spent more than $300 million acquiring five tech firms since May and hired more than 300 engineers and code writers in the U.S. and India. Wal-Mart is also launching a program to allow the 20 percent of its customers without credit cards or bank accounts to make online purchases. 

Wal-Mart’s acquisitions include Kosmix, a social-media firm, and iPhone app creator Small Society. The company hopes the newcomers can find a way to stop shoppers from engaging in scan and scram. That’s when would-be customers use their smartphones in stores to scan an item’s bar code and then buy it online from a rival merchant. The chain’s tech team also is working on a concept called Endless Aisle, which would let shoppers immediately order from Walmart.com via smartphone if an item is out of stock. “You can’t ask people to leave their phones at the door. So you have to give them value and an experience,” says Venky Harinarayan, @WalmartLabs’ senior vice president of global e- commerce. The former Amazon executive joined from Kosmix.

Wal-Mart is trying to improve links between its store inventory, website, and mobile phone apps so that more customers can order online and pick up their purchases at stores, which half of Web customers do already. Wal-Mart is trying Web-based shopping tactics, like its Pay With Cash program for Wal-Mart customers who don’t have credit cards. The new program allows them to reserve products online and pay cash at their nearest store. To cater to its affluent customers, Wal-Mart is selling more expensive items—for example, high-end televisions from Sony (SNE) and Samsung—only online.


Harinarayan’s team is also trying to tackle a new problem for Wal-Mart. Last year the chain was the No. 1 destination for holiday shoppers, with 53 percent of U.S. customers visiting its stores. That was down from 59 percent the year before. To lure gift shoppers, the techies have developed a Shopycat feature that scans the social media preferences of a consumer’s Facebook friends and suggests gift ideas sold on Walmart.com. About 150,000 users have installed the app.

To roll out more such innovations, Wal-Mart must improve its in-house e-commerce technology, so King will hire 87 engineers and coders to bolster the links between the stores and the website. “We’re starting from scratch to build a foundation,” says the EBay (EBAY) veteran. “Ideally, we’d have this platform built a couple of years ago.”

The bottom line: Wal-Mart, which gets less than 2 percent of its U.S. sales online, aims to bolster its technical capabilities to compete with Amazon.




KINDLY CLICK ADVERTISEMENT ABOVE / BELOW AS A SUPPORT TO THIS PAGE, THANKS.


Source: Yahoo Finance