Assignment 7

Everyone deserved a special position in their lives no matter who is she or him, there is for sure some of them wish to longer their lives as they might be thinking of the insufficient time to enjoy themselves. People always forget about the ways to enjoy their lives as they always keep on working and repeating the same daily routine which is nonstop working.

My parents who have the traditional thinking always told me that working is much more important rather than enjoying live as they believe the theory of no pain no gain. Therefore, I have been instilled such concept since I was young as I should not fully enjoy my live until the day I get to retire. However, my thinking start changing when I am stepping into the different level in my live, I start believing that we should fully make use of our remaining lives in order to make it meaningful. In other words, live should be full of passions, adventures and challenges as everyone wishes to make their lives become more colorful but never feel regret on what they did in the remaining lives.

There is undeniable that there were several unforgettable things that I have done in the remaining of my live that still kept in the deep side of my memory. For example, I have followed a bunch of my best friends forever to Port Dickson at three o’clock in the morning just for a simple breakfast, I have drove along the highways in the speed of 140km/j on the first day I got my driving license, I have followed friends went to Genting Highlands in the midnight and had the Maggi Mee instant noodles at Seven-Eleven while standing outside the First World Hotel with the temperature below 20 degree Celsius. I always think that we should do some kind of the craziest things in the remaining live as we are still young enough. However, there are too many things that I have got no chance to try on it and thus I am thinking to set a to-do-list before kicking the bucket which has directed me to plan for my future.

Before ending up my live, the very first thing I am planning to do is to get a tattoo near my ankle. People might be thinking that to get a tattoo is such an easy thing as long as you have got the money and head on to the tattoo shop to get a permanent decorative tattoo. Unfortunately I do have parents who have got the traditional thinking and this led them to think that whoever has got the tattoo equals to bad people. I remember my mother told me that the main reason that I should not get a tattoo is my future Mr. Right might not be able to accept it. However, in my opinion, I think that there are many different reasons to get a tattoo, for example, people get tattoo to mark milestones, to remember a loved one, to celebrate the birth of a child as they got their child’s name or a portrait tattooed on their body parts along with the birth date. Therefore, I wish to get a meaningful tattoo which belongs to me and tattooed on my body parts permanently as it was one of my wish during eighteenth birthday. Next, I wish to go for the binge drinking. What is the difference between binge drinking and standard drinking that we usually having with friends while chatting in the café? The term “binge drinking” generally refers to drink heavily over a short period of time with the intention of becoming intoxicated, resulting in immediate and severe intoxication. There is undeniable that it might be able to harm the heath such as hangovers, headaches, nausea, shakiness and possibly vomiting. Since I am going to kick the bucket soon thus I need not to scare the possibility of taking risk on my own health. After binge drinking, I am going to have the Japanese buffet to explode my own stomach. According to the traditional Chinese culture, in the Lunar 7^th month, the hungry ghost festival is one that literally all hell breaks loose as the gates of hell will open to let out the “hungry ghost”. Therefore, I am definitely not going to be the “hungry ghost” as only wander to seek food and drinks offered at night outside the gates of house.

Besides, I wish to go for the orthodontics which applied on teeth straightening treatment such as wearing braces in order to get straight, healthy and beautiful smile. I wish to bring my teeth into proper alignment which results in the so called ‘perfect’ smile, where the teeth are in neat attractive rows. I always wonder that how well if the dental braces offer me a better appearance in the mouth so that I would have the perfect smile. If I would have the perfect smile that the use of braces can give me, people will start perceiving me as friendly in the very first impression. This is because I am able to smile confidently whenever and wherever I get to meet people in order to make a good impression which is important in building relationships with others. Moreover, after having the nice perfect smile, I wish to gear up myself with world class branded stuffs and head on to a grand party. I used to watch the TV show about the grooming party where all the ladies dress up themselves nicely and trendy. I was never a stylish person as I always wearing the shorts or jeans with a pair of tee shirt and I believed that there is unnecessary to dress up myself for the occasion. Before ending up my live, I believed that it is always better to be overdressed rather than underdressed so that I will become at least a beautiful ghost who walks along the ancient trees while calling the lapsed soul. Next, I am going to have an ultimate date with the loves one as I already dressed up myself stylish and trendy. I wanted to have the best ever and special date in my live as I wish to keep the most unforgettable memories with my lover since I am not able to pause the present love moment. After that, I wish to spend a night in the storied or historic hotel to experience a night of classic atmosphere. This is because I wish to make verification about the existence of ghost spirit. I might be get influenced by the drama series of “Ghost Whisperer” and this seriously build up my curiosity about the existence of ghost spirit. I am going to record and capture the videos as well as photos about the ghost that people believe is the soul of deceased person or animals in order to publish a documentary book series about the ghost spirit.

Meanwhile, I am planning to go backpacking for a month. Basically backpacking is a term that has historically been used to denote a form of low cost, independent international travel. There is too common for youths to go for backpacking out of the country maybe around a month especially among the Western youths. They usually will work for half year while saving the budget money before planning to go for backpacking. This is because backpacking does have many benefits which included reducing the risk of heart diseases and strokes which could save the live by promoting a healthy lifestyle. Backpacking also improves team building skills by promoting a positive attitude as well as increasing awareness of the natural environment. Therefore, I wish to popularize this backpacking culture among Malaysian youths as such culture is not too common yet in order to have an urge get away from today’s highly materialistic lifestyle. Besides, I wish to visit the Great Wall of China before kicking the bucket. The Great Wall of China was built over two thousand years ago by Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of China during the Qin Dynasty. People always say that Chinese must at least visit the Great Wall of China once in life as the Great Wall of China is such spectacular historical scenery in China. I am planning to spend overnight on the Great Wall of China with sleeping bag and mats so that I am able to sleep on the wall under the stars. I believe that it is definitely an amazing thing to spend overnight in the Great Wall of China. Moreover, climbing the Great Pyramid of Egypt is one of the things in my to-do-list before kicking the bucket. The Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza is the largest pyramids of ancient Egypt and it is a true marvel of the ancient world. It is impossible to visit Egypt without including the pyramid as one of the must see destinations.

Next, I am going to challenge myself to participate in a singing contest as it was one of my birthday wishes when I was in eighteen years old. I bet everyone loves singing no matter with friends or singing in the bathroom and thus I wish to challenge myself to go for “ASTRO Talent Quest” annual singing contest in order to let the judges to judge my talent in singing and prove to the whole world that I am able to sing well. Moreover, I am planning to go for skydiving as it is truly fun and challenging for me. Skydiving is also known as parachuting, is the action of performing acrobatics during freefall followed by deployment of a parachute. Skydiving is something that I have always wanted to go at least once in my life as I wish to try the freedom over the sky without plane or helicopter. After trying on the skydiving, I wish to go for parasailing in order to differentiate it between skydiving. Basically in skydiving I got to freefall reaching speeds of up to 120mph in a belly to earth body position while in parasailing is working with air as well as thermals. This allowed me to lift and to stay for much longer, potentially for hours at a time but in skydiving is only for few minutes. Besides, going for bungee jump is another challenging game for me to try on it before kicking the bucket. It is such an incredible activity that involves jumping from a tall structure while connected to a large elastic cord. People always say that bungee jumping is such an activity which can experience on the feeling of reaching death. Therefore, I wish to try on it before kicking the bucket so that I will not feel too scared of death. After challenging on all those extreme games, it is time for me to challenge skinny dipping in Bora-Bora Island which located in French Polynesia. Bora-Bora Island is known as one of the most beautiful sea in the world by American writer James A. Michener, who visited more than forty Pacific Islands during his naval service. How great is the feeling to enjoy the softness of the sand, the blast of the sun as well as the crashing of the cool sea! Besides, I am planning go searching for piranha after watching that Piranha movie and got influenced of it which made me feel so curious about the existence of it. There are various myths about the piranhas such as how they dilacerate a human body in seconds that they sweep in the rivers at high speed and start attacking. Therefore, I am going to discover the size of piranha as well as the piranha teeth which are often used to make tools and weapons.

Moreover, I would like to be a social volunteer that able to contribute to the society before ending up my live. As a feedback to the current society, I would involve myself in helping out the people who are in need as volunteering helps in building of strong as well as cohesive communities. It fosters trust between citizens and helps develop norms of solidarity which are essential to stable the community. Therefore, I believe that being a social volunteer will definitely create the most satisfaction by lending a hand to them. Next, I am planning to donate or sponsor a child through World Vision by paying Rm50 monthly. My donation is probably will help to prepare the child’s community for any emergencies. Besides, it helps to create healthy environments and hopeful futures for children with essentials such as education, skills training, nutrition improving, agriculture assistance, safe water as well as health care. Next, I wish to donate my body for viable organs as many lives could be saved if more people became organs and tissues donors. I personally think that it is such a social responsibility to help others survive or live normal lives. This is because there is undeniable that organ donating helps grieving families as most families will want to do everything they can which help the grieving process. Last but not least, I wish to bring my parents to relax which is the most important thing in my to-do-list as I need to pay my filial piety to them. Filial piety is an expression which everyone should know to be good and to take care of parents, to engage in good conduct towards parents. I might need not bring my parents to stay at all those five stars resorts or travel around the world, but maybe accompany them to go for a breakfast or have a cup of coffee every morning as they are happy enough for it.

In conclusion, these are all the twenty things in my to-do-list before kicking the bucket. I am too surprised that I have too much things needed to complete up before kicking the bucket. Therefore, I am not going to waste my time anymore but start working on every single thing in the to-do-list right now.

Assignment 6

News cast: Thursday, 28 October, 2010 (The Sun)

Montage: 30 second

LOCAL

Teaser: Health clinic exposed to injury (30sec)

1. Death trap clinics (1m 30s)

• Patients in government health clinic in several states are exposed to injury and even death due to the reason of shoddy repairing and upgrading work carried out by inexperienced contractors.
• SOT IN the ministry : "It reserved the right to cancel or reclaim improper payments and severe action had been taken against parties responsible." SOT OUT

2. PM, Manmohan launch ‘Little India’ (1m 30s)

• The Little India project in Brickfields is to catalyze and communicate to people and industries in both Malaysia and India that the two countries’ relationship is still robust and on strong footing, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak says.
• SOT IN Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak : “It will be a Brickfields that we can showcase to the world-Little India in Malaysia. The government has spent RM 35 million to implement the first stage of the project." SOT OUT

3. Chong Eu seriously ill (1min)

• Penang’s longest chief minister, Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu (pix), was taken ill yesterday and warded at the Penang Hospital.

4. Anwar’s lawyer denied access to medical notes (1m 30s)

• The High Court hearing Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy trial has allowed his defense team access to a Kuala Lumpur Hospital (KLH) report made on July 10, 2008.
• SOT IN Kapal : “We are saying that the notes are in existence and available and we ask that Yang Arif direct that they be made available. They are relevant as they were taken at the examination. The notes would “reflect the truth.” SOT OUT

5. ‘Rewrite history textbooks’ (1m)

• Historian Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Khim says local textbooks do not present a complete picture of the country’s history s they were not written by history experts but people with insufficient knowledge in the field.
• SOT IN Historian Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Khim :“Students must understand the subject in order to get a pass. This will enhance the students’ knowledge of history.” SOT OUT

Teaser: Double disasters eruption in Indonesia killed people (30sec)

COMMERCIAL BREAK (5m 30s)

INTERNATIONAL

6. 310 dead in double disasters, 411 missing (1m30s)

• A tsunami and a volcanic eruption in Indonesia have killed more than 300 people with over 400 missing and tens of thousands displaced, authorities said yesterday.
• SOT IN West Sumatra provincial disaster official Ade Edward : "The death toll in the tsunami was at least 282. The tsunami, triggered by a 7.5 magnitude quake that struck 78km west of South Pagai, one of the Mentawai islands, flattened several villages and a surf resort. At least 411 people are still missing." SOT OUT

7. Huge storm whips through US (1m)

• Dangerous winds grounded hundreds of flights and interrupted shipping traffic on the Great Lakes on Tuesday as a massive storm system whipped the central United States and left tens of thousands without power.

8. Republicans set to win House (1m30s)

• Republicans enter the final week of a bitter US election campaign as heavy favourites to win control of the House of Representatives and score big Senate gains, dealing a severe blow to President Barack Obama two years after he entered the White House.
• SOT IN White House spokesman Robert Gibbs : "Obama cast an absentee ballot on Tuesday for the US Senate and governor races in the president’s home state of Illinois." SOT OUT

9. Cities under pressure to balance trees, skyscrapers (45sec)

• The fight against the destruction can start in cities, even as urban centres around the world face the challenge of accommodating more people, skyscrapers and transport system.
• SOT IN Cadman : "Mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus, Dengue fever and malaria are coming into places where they have never come before. If you think preserving climate change, biodiversity is expensive, look at the coming costs of health care." SOT OUT

10. Orchard Road to be raised after floods (45sec)

• Parts of the island republic’s famous shopping thoroughfare Orchard Road will be raised to prevent a repeat of the flash floods that hit the area in June, a city services officer said yesterday.
• SOT IN public Utilities Board spokeswoman : "The road will be raised by up to 50cm at low-lying spot." SOT OUT

Teaser: Crisis of filmmaking caused directors unemployed (30sec)

COMMERCIAL BREAK (5m 30s)

LEISURE, ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS

11. Filmmaking caught in the Net (1min)

• Filmmaking is currently in a state of crisis that has left directors struggling to find their footing, with many struggling just to survive.
• SOT IN Oscar-winning Jordan :“There’s a real crisis in filmmaking right now, and that’s evidenced to me by the fact that every director I know is unemployed. Or almost everyone. I think the crisis in cinema-going is caused by the Internet. Like every industry-music, publishing, film-the Internet is absolutely changing people’s habits and so everything is in a state of flux.” SOT OUT

12. The truth is in your brain waves (1m30s)

• Researchers at Northwestern University have found they can predict and uncover details of “mock terrorists plans” by reading brain waves using the P300-based concealed information test.
• SOT IN Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences psychology professor J. Peter Rosenfeld :“Without any prior knowledge of the planned crime in our mock terrorism scenarios, we were able to identify 10 out of 12 terrorists and, among them, 20 out of 30 crime-related details." SOT OUT

13. ‘Hobbits’ movies to be made in NZ: Premier (1min)

• Peter Jackson’s Hobbit movies will be made in New Zealand after the government struck a deal with Hollywood studio Warner Bros to end months of unions tensions, Prime Minister John Key said.
• SOT IN Prime Minister John Key :“I am delighted we have achieved this result. The retaining of the US$500 million (RM1.5 billion) production, reportedly the most expensive film project ever, would save thousands of jobs in New Zealand." SOT OUT

14. Another exhilarating Goodyear Formula Drift at Dataran Merdeka (1m 30s)

• Counter steers, over steers, ‘donuts’ and screeching tires returns to Kuala Lumpur as the adrenaline-pumping action of the Goodyear Formula DRIFT Malaysia 2010 returns to Malaysia on Dec 18-29.

• SOT IN Managing Director, Goodyear Malaysia Nasution Abdul Rahman :“Drift in the ASEAN region is one of the fastest growing motorsports in the region today and we’re delighted to be renewing our affiliation with Formula Drift. This year, Team Goodyear Malaysia will be drifting using Goodyear’s Ultra High Performance (UHP) tires- the Eagle F1 Asymmetric tire – designed to enhance driving performance by providing maximum traction especially when taking corners.” SOT OUT

15. Santa, Tevez want to quit City (1min)

• Roque Santa Cruz has revealed he wants to move to Spain in the New Year and also claims Carlos Tevez is unhappy at Manchester City.
• SOT IN Roque Santa Cruz :“I’m not getting the playing time to convince anybody and my priority is to leave in the January transfer market. The coach has opted for certain players and on top of that his system plays with just the one striker, so I have even fewer options." SOT OUT

Ending credits (Bye-Name)

Assignment 5

What is life like at the age of eighteen years old? It is the age of making life choices, time for the realization of plans, dreams and hopes. It is the age of starting evaluating and choosing the right course to spend the leisure time, the time for making a foundation of the future.

What is life like for an eighteen year-old girl? I remembered I asked one of my friends, she said, “For a girl, it is the age of LOVE, it is the period when most of the young girls want to get married and start up a new family. It is the age when everything is just beginning and in 'blossom'.” I shocked, I stared at her sluggishly, I started thinking of the answer she gave me, I was wondering if she too desperate for the marriage as an eighteen year-old girl is totally too young for me to get into a marriage. “At the same time it is a very sensitive stage and dramatic changes can have a high impact on the further self-determination and values of a young girl,” she added.

I pasted a piece of a paper with the heading on the wall of my room, “I have a dream that” which already written across the top. I wish to gain back my own dream instead of keep asking for others about the life at the age of eighteen years old.

“Study Form Six as what your sister did as she was able to enter local University, it is such a right choice for you right now,” stated my father as he felt that I was struggling for my own future. I was standing in the middle of the road as what I studied the poem of “The Road Not Taken”, I have been out walking the woods and comes to two of the roads and I stand looking as far down each one as I could see. This is because many of my friends chose to go for the private colleges instead of STPM as they felt that it is definitely not the right choice for us who dislike buried in the books every single minute.

I cried, I screamed, I yelled, I made a phone call to everyone and I cried nonstop for few hours. I cried like a baby as all babies cry and fuss. Crying is important for babies and it is the first way of communication and such an important way to release tension, so do I. I was totally crumbled as it was such as an unacceptable fact. I admit that I am definitely not a bookworm and it is obvious to be stated as the main reason that I failed in my STPM.

“You lost something and now is the time for you to pick up another thing that you wanted,” my father reminded when he was reading newspaper in living room.

“What I lost? What will be the thing that I really wanted and wished to own actually?” muttering alone with the mind that filled with lots of question marks.

I walked into my room without my soul which already flown away since that day I cried like a baby. I looked up the wall and I saw that piece of paper which written “I have a dream that” for few minutes. A light bulb appeared in my mindset suddenly, “What is wrong with me? I should gain back my own dream!” muttering alone again. I should take action to gain back the dream which belongs to me although it might be located in that glorious land above the sky.

What is life like at the age of twenty one years old? It is the age of making life choices, time for the realization of plans, dreams and hopes. I am glad that I am not afraid to dream. I am pleased that I am not dreaming of my prince charming and how I will save him from the dragon.

People say dreams never do come true, but they are wrong, I say they do. I knew it as I smile no matter how hard is my work torture me always. I knew it as I smile because I dream of my future and marvel at my pride since the day I decided to choose mass communication.

What I feel that is I have made a wise decision on my future road although I could not get a flying color result in STPM, but at least I am able to know the actual thing that I really wanted. Therefore, I always try my best in every single task in order to remind myself not to repeat the same mistake that I did in the past. My college life get totally different if compared with the Form Six high school life as I am taking the course that I am really interested in. I have put so much efforts and always pay fully attention as well as preparations either in assignment or presentation. I used to take my past failure as the main motivation to encourage myself from times to times. I remembered my father told me that every single failure or even mistake may help in the growing process, thus take it as another chance to inspire yourself to do better in the future.

Deep inside my heart, I told myself, I have to thank my own failure in STPM, for if without the unacceptable fact, I would never ever found my future road. In other words, it became the turning point in my life as it taught me to live stronger as well as tougher although something may altered the usual routine but still we have to find an appropriate way to fix it. It is such a good thing which taught me never ever give up and having optimistic thinking but not continue blaming myself on the mistake I did in the past which brings nothing at all.

Assignment 4

Part a)

Descriptive lead

An ominous silence, broken only by the call of a faraway bird, hung over the battle-scarred hills when suddenly an explosion followed by the yells of charging troops smashed the stillness. (Reader’s Digest, 15 Oct 2010)

My View: It is known as an effective descriptive lead as it describes the scene by using the silence of the hill which only can be broken by the call of a faraway bird. Besides, a good descriptive lead can be such a fine-tuned piece of word art that do not need a picture. In the above descriptive lead, the readers are able to predict how silence is the hill as well as the explosion which ruined the silence of the hill. The readers are able to imagine how sudden is the explosion happened around the silence hill when no one is there. By using the above descriptive lead, the scenery can be appeared in the mind of the readers although there is none of the pictures.

Narrative lead

Local resident Terry Lynn told the local NBC broadcast station: “I saw a guy walking across the field with a handgun, shooting randomly into the crowd of children. I immediately screamed, “No, no!” (New Sunday Times, 10 Oct 2010)

My View: It is known as an effective narrative lead as it is such as a storytelling that narrates the exact scene in a dramatic way. The main purpose of the above lead is to put the readers on the scenes as the shooting actions occurred. The readers are able to know how was the shooting happened and who were the victims whereby the goal of the narrative lead is to build suspense or even interest among the readers.

Anecdotal lead

While international athletes are competing for medals at the Commonwealth Games here, popular South Indian superstar Rajnikanth has been quietly ranking in millions from his latest movie, which he acted with Bollywood star, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. (New Sunday Times, 10 Oct 2010)

My View: It is known as an anecdotal lead but it is not efficient enough. This is because the above anecdotal lead is not intriguing since it is not a fascinating or stirring story that unable to draw the readers in and make them want to read the whole feature as some of the readers who might not familiar with Bollywood star.

Part b)

Descriptive lead

BRIGHTON, England (UPI)—Mrs. Pamela Bransden slowly counted five, snapped into a hypnotic trance, and gave birth to an eight-pound baby. It was as easy as that. (Times Magazine, 15 Oct 2010)

My View: It is known as a descriptive lead which describes a pregnant woman who is giving birth. The readers noticed that it is such an easy task to give birth of an eight-pound baby. This technique is able to create the curiosity among the readers on the following details about the procedures of giving eight-pound baby.

Descriptive lead

A man looking for taro(keladi) leaves to feed his ducks made a shocking discovery when he discovered the body of a baby wrapped in a white cloth diaper buried in a shallow grave at a farm in Kampung Baru Hicom’s reserved land in Section 26, near Sungai Klang here at noon yesterday. (New Sunday Times, 10 Oct 2010)

My View: It is known as a descriptive lead which describes discovery on the buried baby by a man. The above descriptive lead describes the every single detail which included the 5W1H questions. There is no doubt that the readers are able to understand the feature by reading the descriptive lead above as the details stated clearly enough.

Narrative lead

House owner, Michelle Ong, 31, whose house is closest to the construction site, was worried that the cracks might affect her house and pose a danger to her family.

“The cracks on the tarmac pavement by the drain have caused chunks of the soil to fall into the drain. These hairline cracks just became bigger within a day or less,” said Ong. (New Sunday Times, 10 Oct 2010)

My View: It is known as a narrative lead which narrates the expression of the related victim towards the cracking that nearby her house. In the quote above, the readers are able to know that the anxiety of the victim since she described that the cracks became bigger within a day or less.

Part c)

Narrative lead

He said, “I’m Lamont Woods,” in a Southern accent quickened by exposure to speech patterns elsewhere. (Reader’s Digest, 18 Oct 2010)

My View: It is known as a narrative lead. There are lots of question marks after I finish reading the lead as there is not much information stated and this is the main reason that I dislike the above lead. Besides, it does not rise up my interest to continue reading the following features at all.

Narrative lead

When the tall, heavy, garishly dressed stranger appeared at the door, it was clear this was trouble. (The New York Times, 13 Oct 2010)

My View: It is known as a narrative lead. I do not like the lead because it is too short for me as I am not fully understand the message in this lead. It made me feel like want to skip through the following features.

Question lead

Would you like to know what happened during one of the most eventful parties in Malaysia? (Reader’s Digest, 15 Oct 2010)

My View: It is known as a question lead. I do not like the lead as it uses the word “most eventful”. The readers might be confused what can be defined of the word “most eventful”. I somehow wondering that are there lots of parties which held in Malaysia and what sort of the parties can be so eventful.

Assignment 3

Repeal PMR, Format UPSR to be changed from 2016: Muhyiddin

Beginning in the year of 2016, the UPSR students needed to follow the changes in the grade of national education system.

We are now on the track to improve education system by doing decision on repealing of PMR examination as well as revising new format of UPSR examination in order to maintain well performance among students.

“The Lower Secondary Assessment (PMR) and the Primary School Achievement Test (UPSR) will have a new format,” said Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, The Sun, 10 Oct 2010)

He said the PMR examination for Form Three students will be replaced with a school-based assessment.

Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said the UPSR examination for Year Six students, 60% of the foundation for academic achievement, while 40% of the results are attributed to extra-curricular activities.

“The discussion of the proposal will be brought to the Cabinet, the Ministry of Education will announce the related details once get approval,” he mentioned. (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, China Press, 10 Oct 2010)

The Deputy Education Minister, Wee Ka Siong said the government had made references from different point of views before doing decision on repealing of PMR start from 2016.

“The repealing of PMR did not cause much controversy as the public agreed that SPM should be the only examination in secondary school.” (Wee Ka Siong, China Press, 10 Oct 2010)

“Students might not even have chance to enhance their learning problems if both examinations are being repealed as they needed to wait for 11 years to sit for the SPM.” (Wee Ka Siong, China Press, 10 Oct 2010)

However, there was another point of view against the decision on repealing of PMR which some of them might be questioned about the improvement in academic without sitting for PMR.

The National Union of Teaching Profession secretary, General Lok Yim Pheng said it is not a rational decision on repealing of PMR since the Form One, Form Two and Form Three students are unable to identify their capability without sitting for examination.

“There should be a categorization into three categories among students who from primary school as the first category provided for those who are excellent in academic results.” (Lok Yim Pheng, Sin Chew Daily, 10 Oct 2010)

“The second category provided for higher level, technical and vocational subjects while the third category provided for basic learning skills such as car repairing, computer, cooking or sewing.” (Lok Yim Pheng, Sin Chew Daily, 10 Oct 2010)

“This can reduce the truancy rates and disciplinary problems among students; there is another learning chance provided for those students who are not interested in academic.” (Lok Yim Pheng, Sin Chew Daily, 10 Oct 2010)

Assignment 2

Date: 4-10-2010

Name: Lum Chih Feng

News agency: Oriental Daily News

This information comes from an interview with the interviewee, Lum Chih Feng who is currently working in the Oriental Daily News agency which has been done through mail on 4^th October 2010.

Senior editor, Lum Chih Feng has been a journalist since the year of 2001 and has nine years experiences in the field of journalism. He started working in the Nanyang Siang Pau (Chinese daily) as a feature writer and then switched to a journalist in the end. In the year of 2003, he joined Oriental Daily News which is known as his current news agency, he said in the interview: “There were the most choices in the field of journalism if compared to the other field of industries such as broadcasting, film and TV production or even marketing communication at that time.” This is the main reason he chose the journalism field instead of other industries.

There is undeniable that nine years experiences in the journalism field are such as an expert who is able to share his working experiences especially on interviewing techniques. We are known that to become a great journalist, a well prepared condition in order to accept any of the challenges is one of the tips to conduct an interview. “When writing a news item or anything in the form of traditional journalistic, there are no other ways except for put much more efforts on reading in order to keep an eye to the progression of the latest issue,” stated Lum.

People might be curious is that possible a journalist may make any mistake such as accidentally deleted the sound recording during the interviewing? “Interviewers should not rely solely on recorders. They should jot down important points throughout the interview or press conference so that they could refer to their notes if something goes wrong to the sound recording,” mentioned Lum.

There is getting more and more participation on the field of mass communication among youths nowadays. Therefore, Lum gave an informative advice for those who are highly interested in this field, he said: “The journalism field is definitely not an easy task at all. It deserves a lot of learning processes which the journalists needed to maintain the sense of curiosity as well as thirst of gaining knowledge from times to times.”

“As a great journalist should always adhere to the media responsibility in order to believe there is nothing but the truth especially in publishing information to all of the audiences,” said Lum in the end of the interview.