Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Convention of architecture Diagrammatic Transformation of Architecture Research Paper
Convention of architecture Diagrammatic Transformation of Architecture - Research Paper Example The paper also provides an explanation of the tradition of architecture’s orientation to the convention of the diagram. A detailed description of how this idea diagram has been critiqued through a manifestation in contemporary projects is provided. Finally, the paper provides theory analysis to stake a new position in the contemporary architecture field. A diagram is simply an illustrative figure that offers a general scheme or an outline of an object, devoid of representing the precise appearance of it, in order to show the shape and the relations of the different parts of the object. It is a technique utilized to help illustrate what people are thinking in their heads (Reynolds 11). Ever since the 1980s, the convention diagram has been the favored method for theorizing, communicating, making and researching architectural designs, projects and ideas. Therefore, the rise of diagrams, in preference to the model or drawing was a major novel development in the process of design i n the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Classical architecture is simply the architecture of ancient Rome and the architecture of ancient Greece, as well as the architectural style(s) influenced by those; it is the architecture of classical antiquity. Classicism in architecture stresses on geometry, proportion, symmetry as well as the regularity of parts as they are illustrated in the architecture of Ancient Greece and Rome. ... Figure 2: Diagram of the Parthenon The diagram of the Parthenon above illustrates how the way the Parthenon Frieze, in blue, ran around the architrave on the inner rows of the columns. It is of note that the frieze was a sequence of, bas relief stone picture carvings that show dissimilar people partaking in the Panathenaic Festival Procession. In regards to the tradition of classicist architecture’s orientation to the convention of diagram, various classical personalities such as Vitruvius, Philibert de I'Orme and Leonardo Da Vinci. Figure 3: Ampiprostyle temple and diagram of winds The figure above shows Amphiprostyle Temple. On the right is diagram of winds. Philibertde I’Orme: Architecture Rouen 1648. The diagram of winds figure resembles that in Vitruvius for perfect city plans, as well as the illustrious renaissance scheme of man as a measure of things by Leonardo da Vinci. It illustrates an obsession with the centralized plan. Figure 4: Vitruvius diagram of the wi nds Vitruvius who flourished during the late first century BCE describes 8 principal winds, although he noted that there are many other winds, though somehow dissimilar from the major 8 winds. He relates a list of 2 variations on either side of the 8 principal compass yielding up a wind rose comprising 24 winds. The winds are easy to draw since they are spaced equally at 15Â ° from one another. Other than wind direction, Vitruvius also used diagram to show town planning expressing his ideas of ideal city. Other than Vitruvius, Leonardo da Vinci also flourished as far as classicism architecture is concerned. Figure 5: Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci, 1490 Leonardo da Vinci’s
Monday, October 28, 2019
Southwest Airlines’ crazy recipe for business and personal success Essay Example for Free
Southwest Airlines’ crazy recipe for business and personal success Essay Southwest Airline Company Introduction            Southwest Airlines is an organization in the Airline industry and it has remained to be a competitive leader in this industry since its inception. It is the America’s largest low-fare carrier and domestically it serves huge number of customers than any other Airline. This organization operates more than three thousand flights daily. Southwest Airlines operate under an environment with intense competition; however, its marketing strategy has helped the organization to have a competitive advantage over its competitors. In all southwest Airline marketing communications, it positions itself in America as the only short-haul, low-fare, point-to-point, high frequency carrier that is fun to fly. Once the organization enters into a particular market the following changes are experienced; economic mini-boom occurs, tourist traffic increases and air fares go down. Airline industry is highly volatile, however southwest airline has remained relevant in the industry and also profitable every year meaning that it has been profitable for a period of 31 years. For most of year 2000, the organizations 9 billion dollars market capitalization is more than the combined market capitalization of every other Airline in United States. Southwest airline market strategy has ensured cost efficiency thus increasing the profit margins for the organization. Some of the most marketing strategies adapted by this organization include: using smaller airports which are less congested thus saving time, flying one type of aircraft only, and eliminating seating assignments and meal service. Even though southwest airline has been using these same marketing strategies, no other airline has been able to clone southwest’s success productively (Freiberg Freiberg, 1996).            In order to secure its market position successfully, southwest airline has been forced to be extremely cost-efficient. In this regard, southwest has designed a business model which uses short-hauls, single aircraft type, hub -and -spoke versus point-to-point, secondary airports all aimed at reducing the costs. Most organizations in the airline market utilize information technology like a platform aimed at sharing information from a given unit of business to another. However, southwest airline upholds a different approach. Southwest has strengthened the on-site operations agents’ roles who are entrusted with the responsibility to turn around every flight of southwest as fast as possible. In the airline market the operations agents have a responsibility for handling 3 to 5 flights at any one time but southwest strategy ensures that their operations agents are responsible in handling one flight turnaround. Southwest has established a c ulture where even pilots are willing to assist in loading luggage so as to help in getting away in time thus saving time. This demonstrates flexible job boundaries existing throughout the whole organization where any individual is very ready to pitch in wherever needed (Lauer, 2010).            Avoiding delays is the key to profitably running an Airline with turning around the planes. In the airline industry market, in a case where a delay is experienced in the airline market, they try assessing whether this was as a result of led by the ramp agents, baggage handlers, refuellers or any other functional department. However in Southwest airline delays are recoded to be team delays. Through being less precise concerning the delay cause and assessing performance through metrics which matter to the consumers. In this regard southwest focus more on learning ways of avoiding a repeat of such instances in the future compared to accountability. Airline industry in United States has experienced high price in regard to intra-Texas air travel and southwest was envisioned and was able to respond to this issue through coming up with the suitable solutions (Freiberg Freiberg, 1996).            Southwest provides a travel product which is in built around flights which are targeted to particular ticket pricing and demographics that is simplified in order for the passengers to realize what they actually getting for their money paid. Before the entry of southwest Airline into the airline market, passengers and business travelers were used to be pampered, paid full price however in the end they ended up being disappointed. Southwest strategies usually gave insomnia to other normal executives from the Airline industry. Southwest strategy shows an organization which is very unusual and very devoted towards their consumers and employees (Lauer, 2010). A niche exists in the Airline market where southwest Airline has extensive potential of future growth. Southwest has been built on foundation of strategic management. This strategy has helped this organization in taking it into a new level of superiority and expanding of the airlineâ€℠¢s market. Therefore southwest possess an aggressive strategy, planned to be a constant success (Lauer, 2010).            There are definitive and clear boundaries between employees working in diverse functional areas in most Airlines. Most workers are able to interact well with their fellow peers however ignore those others who are below them in the organization hierarchy. In cases where there are delays employees tend to blame those who are lower in hierarchy than them for the delay. However, in south west they have created a culture where all employees treat others with respect despite of their levels in the organizational hierarchy (Lovelock, 1992). All employees acknowledge the distinct responsibilities played in keeping planes flying by different functional departments. Therefore everyone’s contribution to the organization contributes to the success of the organization and thus every individual is respected and acknowledged. This respect by all employees of the organization helps in appreciating the contribution of one another to the organization and there is a tendency to act productively in achieving the larger organizational goals (Bahreini Willis, 1988).            Southwest Airlines has utilized the following ten relationships in generating extraordinary performance; investing in front-line leaders, outstanding business relationship, hiring and training for relationship excellence, using conflicts in building relationships, using broad performance metrics, bridge work-family divide, creating the positions which span boundaries, partnering with the unions, build the supplier relationships, highly flexible job descriptions and using highly flexible job descriptions. These all ten organizational relationships are exceedingly complementally; however they only generate benefits when they are all utilized and implemented. In this regard these relationships work in unison and not in isolation. Substantial benefits of these relationships can be realized only all ten are present. This in turn realizes both negative effects and positive effects. The negative effects will be that it will necessitate making var ious changes on many fronts concurrently to attain it. On the other hand, the positive effects are that an organization which follows lead of southwest airline company and establish strong organizational relationships can accomplish great success. However, the outcomes of using the ten relationships as in the case of southwest can be both long lasting and impressive. Therefore, any company can improve efficiency and quality of its performance through adapting these relationships to its own specific needs (Tadajewski Brownlie, 2008).            Leadership in southwest Airlines is a distribute process. Senior management team is popular in the public arena however most of the actual work is performed by the supervisors who with frontline employees on a daily basis. Southwest Airline in reality has more supervisors per frontline worker compared other all other Airlines, and the organization succeeds at training these supervisors in providing leadership on issues occurring on daily basis. Supervisors in Southwest present the bulk of the organization’s counseling and coaching. Southwest also makes a conscious and deliberate effort of hiring employees who are excellent in working as a team (Lauer, 2010).            This organization also endeavors at enhancing team building skills through offering their employees training for relational competence. In other organizations, there is an attempt of retaining and attracting high performers, but southwest instead of hiring the elites it gives high priority while hiring to those individuals who are capable of integrating with other team members smoothly. Therefore, this organization recruits individuals who uphold right attitudes and then offer them with the necessary experience and skills they require to succeed. Southwest has distinct labor relations and this has helped to eliminate occurrences of employees strikes in the organization. An Airline industry is an oligopolistic market where every seller supplies a huge portion of entire products which are sold in the marketplace. Since the cost of setting up a business is normally very high the number of the organizations entering in this market is usually l ow. Organizations in this market are able to control over the prices that they charge. Therefore, when one organization offers fair prices than others, then its competitors also usually introduces similar promotions. Southwest has been facing excess competition from other airlines however through exemplary marketing strategies an Airline that paying for jet fuel using a personal credit card and borrowing tools has grown to be a record-breaking profitable Airline company. Southwest was one of the factors that led to end of the airline industry regulation, therefore getting rid of the barriers facing those entering the industry and also encouraging competition. Southwest was primarily responsible for keeping, Love, midway and Hobby airports open (Stone, 1980).            Southwest is still the leader in the airline industry and it is a no-frills carrier. In this regard, this Airline offers no reserved seats, no catering and no first-class. The primary goal of this organization is making air travel affordable to those individuals who could not afford it previously and not profit maximization. Southwest makes profit on average if only the last five seats on a plane are filled. This Airline as a regional carrier is unique. Southwest is popular among the passengers since they carry their customers’ non-stop from point A to point B. southwest provides no interline connections with the other airlines, except for Icelandic Air connections. This helps in wise use of time since airplanes are not delayed by ticket counter lines or connecting travelers. Their strategies have also helped in reducing the unemployment rates in United States. This is because in a case where an airplane spends exceedingly twenty mi nutes at the gate this will increase the local rates of unemployment (Pride Ferrell, 1995).            In conclusion, southwest employs marketing strategies which helps in ensuring that the organization is the most popular among the passengers. The southwest also has a culture of respecting all their stakeholders despite their hierarchy or role in the organization. All southwest employees’ works as a team and they are very motivated which improves their job satisfaction and productivity in the organization. All these marketing strategies highly contribute towards the success of southwest Airline Company. References Bahreini, M. H., Willis, J. F. (1988). Microeconomics: concepts, analysis, and applications. Redding, Calif.: CAT Pub. Co.. Freiberg, K., Freiberg, J. (1996). Nuts!: Southwest Airlines crazy recipe for business and personal success. Austin, Tex.: Bard Books. Lauer, C. (2010). Southwest Airlines. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Greenwood. Lovelock, C. H. (1992). Managing services: marketing, operations, and human resources (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Pride, W. M., Ferrell, O. C. (1995). Marketing: concepts and strategies (9th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Stone, M. (1980). Marketing and economics. New York: St. Martins Press. Tadajewski, M., Brownlie, D. T. (2008). Critical marketing: contemporary issues in marketing. Chichester, UK: Wiley. Source document
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Comparing Merchant of Venice, Taming of the Shrew, and Much Ado About Nothing :: comparison compare contrast essays
Trickery and Disguise in Merchant of Venice, Taming of the Shrew, and Much Ado About Nothing    Shakespeare uses similar comic elements to effect similar outcomes in his works. Many of his plays utilize trickery and disguise to accomplish similar endings.      Trickery plays a major role in The Merchant of Venice and drives most of the action, while mistaken identity, specifically Portia's disguise as the "learned attorney's" representative, plays a major role in the resolution of the play. The first instance of trickery in the play is Bassanio's plan to present himself as a financially sound suitor, when in truth, he is not.      Bassanio believes that he would stand a very good chance of being the successful suitor if he had the proper money backing him. Bassanio then goes to his friend Antonio to try to secure a loan to provide for his wooing.      O my Antonio, had I but the means/To hold a rival     place with one of them [other suitors]/I have a     mind presages me such thrift/That I should     questionless be fortunate!" (Shakespeare,     Merchant 1.1 173-176)      However, Antonio has, "neither the money, nor commodity/to raise a present sum" but urges Bassanio to go through Venice to try to secure a loan using Antonio's bond as credit (Shakespeare, Merchant 1.1 178-179).      One of the resident money-lenders of Venice is an individual called Shylock, a person of Jewish descent. The practice of usury was traditionally banned by the Christian church. This allowed many Jews, because their belief system contained no objection to profitable money-lending, to become the de facto loan officers. Bassanio approaches Shylock to ask for a loan, and Shylock seems as if he is going to agree, however, he first asks to speak with Antonio. It is revealed in an aside that Shylock harbors a secret hatred of Antonio because of his religion and Shylock's belief that Antonio's practices drive down the interest rates that Shylock can charge in Venice. Here we see the second instance of trickery and deception within The Merchant of Venice. Shylock seems to have great knowledge of the positions of Antonio's fleet and ominously notes that, "ships are but boards, sailors but men" (Shakespeare,
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Fredrick Douglass
Fredrick Douglass Essay The great civil rights activist Frederick Douglass was born into slavery on a Maryland Eastern Shore plantation in February 1818. His given name, Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, seemed to portend an unusual life for this son of a field hand and a white man, most likely Douglass's first master, Captain Aaron Anthony. Perhaps Harriet Bailey gave her son such a distinguished name in the hope that his life would be better than hers.She could scarcely imagine that her son's life would continue to be a source of interest and inspiration nearly 190 years fter his birth. Indeed, it would be hard to find anyone who more closely embodies this year's Black History Month theme, â€Å"From Slavery to Freedom: Africans in the Americas. †Like many in the nineteenth-century United States, Frederick Douglass escaped the horrors of slavery to enjoy a life of freedom, but his unique personal drive to achieve Justice for his race led him to devote his life to the ab olition of slavery and the movement for black civil rights.His fiery oratory and extraordinary achievements produced a legacy that stretches his influence across the centuries, aking Frederick Douglass a role model for the twenty-first century. One reason Douglass's story continues to resonate is that his life embodies the American dream of overcoming obstacles and reaching one's goals. Young Frederick Bailey spent his first twenty years in slavery, first on a Talbot County, Maryland plantation, then in the ship-building city of Baltimore.In the first of three autobiographies, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, published in 1845, he recounts the adversity of his early life. He rarely saw his mother who worked as a ield hand, had barely enough clothes to cover his body, and had to eat from a trough like a farmyard animal. As he grew old enough to work he passed through a series of masters, some kind and some cruel. The influence of Frederick Douglass reaches beyond his symb olic role as America's most famous former slave, although in his lifetime moving from slavery to freedom proved a tremendous accomplishment.He continues to be relevant to both history and modern American culture because he moved beyond enjoying freedom to edicate his life to the principle that struggle is necessary to achieve progress. His desire to make his world a more Just place led him to fght for the abolition of slavery and to support social Justice and civil rights for African Americans and women. We would do well to follow his example, and to take inspiration from his famous words that â€Å"It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. †Fredrick Douglass By Ishman2941
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Covering the Ucc
Running head: UCC Uniform Commercial Code The Uniform Commercial Code generally regulates commerce or trade on a national basis. Do you think that the UCC would directly or indirectly have any effect on international commerce? If so, what effect on international or worldwide commerce do you think the UCC might cause? In order to give an answer one must understand that in the world trade industry everything ties together.The UCC might just be a State side regulatory law system, but it has to affect the international world too; this might not be direct, but the effects have to exist. When US companies trade outside of the US, their regulations affect the international buyer. Payments, contracts and agreements that are drawn up under the UCC for companies that wish to conduct businesses internationally have affected international businesses with the UCC. Now this in no way saying this is a bad thing. It just means that the same rules we use have to be used by companies that trade within the US.Think of credit cards, they use the UCC in order to keep getting paid from the card holder as well as the card holder keeping his or her rights as an individual or company. Without a clear set of regulatory laws in place like the UCC big companies and one-man operations would not have the rights and protections they have nor would the consumers have rights and protections. References EditorialBoard. (2012). 7. Introduction to Business Law (pp. 148-168). Schaumburg, IL: Words of Wisdom, LLC..
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
70 Home Idioms and Expressions
70 Home Idioms and Expressions 70 Home Idioms and Expressions 70 Home Idioms and Expressions By Mark Nichol 1. A man’s home is his castle: a sentiment that a man should have freedom to do what he wants in his home (originally â€Å"An Englishman’s home is his castle†) 2. A woman’s place is in the home: a largely outdated notion that a woman’s activities should be limited to child-rearing and housekeeping 3. At home: comfortable or proficient in an endeavor, matching or suitable for an environment, or competing in an athletic event at the team’s own facility rather than while visiting another team 4. Bring home: make clearly appreciated or understood (usually said of something unpleasant) 5. Bring home the bacon: earn a wage, or be successful 6. Charity begins at home: a sentiment that one should take care of family and friends before offering aid to others 7–8: Chickens will/have come home to roost: said as an admonition that actions have consequences 9. Close to home: deeply affecting one’s feelings 10. Come home: said of something (often, an unpleasant realization) becoming clear to someone 11. Come home to roost: return to cause trouble, in an analogy to chickens returning to their coop at the end of the day 12. Down-home: simple, as in something typical of traditional rural life 13–15. Drive/hammer/ram home: emphasize, often by repeating 16-17. Go big/hard, or go home: a slang expression meaning â€Å"Put effort into something, or give up trying†18. Go home and get (one’s) beauty sleep: said jocularly of or by one who must depart early, facetiously because of the necessity of getting enough rest to avoid being considered unattractive because of sleep deprivation 19. Go home in a box: be sent home after death (box refers to a coffin) 20. Go home to mama: give up on marriage or a relationship, from the notion of returning home to live with one’s mother, with the implication of defeat and humiliation 21. Hearth and home: one’s home and family 22. Hit (one) where one lives: affect someone personally 23–24: Hit/strike home: make sense, cause awareness or acceptance of an idea 25–26. Home and dry/hosed: to have completed an activity or project (British English and Australian English, respectively) 27. Home away from home: a place one is visiting that is as comfortable and welcoming as one’s own home 28–33. Home boy/home girl/homeslice/holmes/homes/homie: a person with whom one is very close (from the notion that one grew up in the same neighborhood as that person) 34. Home free: certain of success because the most difficult phase of a task has been completed 35. Home game: an athletic event hosted by a team at its facility 36. Home ground/turf: the environment one has grown up in and is comfortable in 37. Home in on: literally or figuratively aim toward 38. Home is where (one) hangs (one’s) hat: the practical notion that one’s home is where one lives, as distinct from the sentimental notion of home 39. Home is where the heart is: a proverb conveying that one is most comfortable living where (or with whom) one wants to be 40. Home run: a successful endeavor, from an analogy with scoring a run in baseball that entitles one to safely round the bases and return to home plate 41–42. Home straight/stretch: the final phase of a difficult activity, from an analogy with the last portion of a horse race 43. Home sweet home: an expression of relief that one has returned to the comfort of home after an extended absence 44. Home truth: an unpleasant fact difficult to acknowledge or admit 45. Home, James: a passenger’s humorous exhortation to a driver to bring the passenger home swiftly (originally, â€Å"Home, James, and don’t spare the horses,†from the notion that James is a common name for a carriage driver) 46. Homesick: feeling uncomfortable about being away from home 47. Homework: practice of learning exercises; figuratively, preparation for an event or eventuality, or acquisition of practical knowledge 48. Keep the home fires burning: maintain a household in good order while one is away (perhaps at war) 49. Leave home: set out to live apart from one’s parents 50. The longest way around is the shortest way home: a proverb expressing that doing something painstakingly saves time because doing it carelessly may require that it be done over 51. Make yourself at home: a host’s exhortation to a visitor to encourage the person to feel comfortable and behave as if he or she lives there 52. Money from home: something welcome, or, in underworld slang, easily obtained money or goods (comparable to â€Å"Like taking candy from a baby†), from the notion of receiving money from one’s family when one is living or traveling abroad 53–58. Not something/anything, or nothing much, to write home about/worth writing home about: uneventful, from the notion that something that happened is not worth informing one’s family about 59. See (one) home: escort someone to his or her residence 60. Stay-at-home: said of a parent who does not work outside the home 61–62. Take (one’s) ball/toys and go home: said in figurative reference to a person petulantly abandoning an activity with necessary implements, thereby inconveniencing the remaining participants 63. Take home: retain a concept, idea, or thought conveyed at a conference or an educational event 64. The lights are on, but nobody’s home: said of an unintelligent person, from the comparison of the person’s â€Å"empty†head with a vacant house 65. There’s no place like home: a sentiment that home is the most satisfying place to be 66. Till the cows come home: an exaggeration meaning â€Å"for a long time,†from the notion of cows returning to the barn from the pasture at the end of the day 67–68. What is/who is (someone or something) when it’s (or he’s or she’s) at home?: a fanciful way of asking, â€Å"Who (or â€Å"what†) is that?†(British and Australian English) 69. Yankee go home: an expression of anti-American sentiment 70. You can’t go home again: the sentiment that once one leaves home, one is changed and conditions will not be the same Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Legs, Feet, and Toes3 Cases of Complicated HyphenationDouble Possessive
Monday, October 21, 2019
Bluetooth essays
Bluetooth essays Bluetooth has been the subject of much hype and media attention over the last couple of years. As various manufacturers prepare to launch products using Bluetooth technology, an unsuspecting public is about to be catapulted into the next stage of information technology. Bluetooth is a low cost, low power, short-range radio technology, originally developed as a cable replacement to connect devices such as mobile phone handsets, headsets, and portable computers. By enabling standardized wireless communications between any electrical devices, Bluetooth has created the notion of a Personal Area Network (PAN), a kind of close range wireless network that looks set to revolutionize the way people interact with the information technology landscape around them. Imagine transferring a list of contacts from your mobile telephone to your desktop without cables. Or accessing a corporate network without an Ethernet card; or using your mobile phone to buy food from a vending machine or a store. The Bluetooth specification is an open, global specification defining the complete system from the radio right up to the application level. The protocol stack is usually implemented partly in hardware and partly as software running on a microprocessor, with different implementations partitioning the functionality between hardware and software in different ways. Version 1.0 of the Bluetooth specification came out in 1999, but Bluetooth started five years earlier, in 1994, when Ericsson Mobile Communications initiated a study to investigate the feasibility of a low-power, low-cost radio interface between mobile phones and their accessories. Radio is not directional, and it does not need line of sight, so it has obvious advantages over the infra-red links previously used between handsets and devices. The specification was named after the tenth-century Danish Viking king Harald Bluetooth who unified Sca ...
Sunday, October 20, 2019
How to Avoid Being Painfully Nervous During Your Job Interview
How to Avoid Being Painfully Nervous During Your Job Interview You’re all ready for the interview: qualified, geared up, pumped! But the trouble is, you’re nervous. You feel the echo of every footstep down the hall. Your palms are sweaty. Your lungs are thick. You’re on the verge of freaking out. No matter how prepared you are or how perfect a fit you’d be for the position, you don’t want to let your nerves ruin your chances or your first impression. Here are a few ways you can combat the jitters and walk in there cool as a cucumber.1. Plan ahead.The more preparation and practice you’ve got under your belt, the easier it will be to let the preparation supersede your nerves. Do your homework. Research the company, the supervisor, and the position. Have answers down cold for common interview questions. Have questions ready to ask your interviewer at the end. Trust your preparation and the process, stay focused, and let that carry you through.2. Do a run-through.Pick out your outfit, try it on in advance, a nd get someone to do a dress rehearsal of your interview: asking you common questions, drilling you on your answers, etc. Try to treat it like the real thing. Also try a dry-run of getting yourself to your interview location a day or two before. Map out your route, time your transport, etc. Make sure you get there unflustered and on time.3. Don’t be afraid to laugh.There is literally no rule that says you can’t laugh in an interview. In fact, laughter is sometimes the best medicine- and certainly a great way to release some of your pent-up nerves. Remember, when you laugh, your body releases a ton of endorphins. So you’ll feel super happy instead of super nauseous with nerves.4. Get sleep and exercise.There’s no preparation half as good as a good night’s sleep. Stay off the booze the night before, make healthy food choices. Rest up, eat a decent, balanced breakfast, and try to get some exercise. This will also release endorphins, plus give you that extra smug and healthy glow.5. Visualize success.Picture yourself emerging from the office having aced the interview. Go in there with a positive attitude and imagining yourself in your best light. You’ll be surprised at how much of a difference this sort of mind trick can make.6. Watch your pace and body language.Assume your power poses. Don’t slump or cross your limbs. Make good eye contact, give a great handshake, etc. And try to keep your answers measured; don’t rush through. Don’t forget to breathe and take time to listen.7. Groove out.Listen to some music that soothes or powers you up- whatever it takes to get rid of your nerves and give you a little boost of what you need before you walk into the interview, refreshed and ready.8. Be yourself.Don’t try to be too formal, or too informal. Remember, you want them to hire you, not some dressed-up fancy version of who you think they want. Answer questions in your own voice. Be honest if youâ€⠄¢re nervous. Turn it to your advantage- you’re just so jazzed about the opportunity to work with this company!
Saturday, October 19, 2019
About an American History Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
About an American History - Assignment Example (Zinn) During 19th century, the role of women were also being redefined under the religious code wherein women were required to be pious and has a separate and defined role in the family. Sexual purity of women was considered as important and it was believed that men by virtue of their biological nature can sin however; women were not considered as prone to sin and were dealt very strictly under the new religious interpretation regarding the role of women. The prevailing vision was that the women should be limited to the home, marriage and mother hood and women were mostly limited to the nursing and teaching as their chosen profession. (Tindall and Shi) Women were able to cope with the new realities in different manner and by developing close family bondage with other family members. Women were also involved in relatively higher disorderly acts as compared to men especially in slavery conditions. Harriet Tubman was one woman who was able to not only gain freedom but was also successful in helping other women to get free and was active in the Underground Railroad. (Johnson) The westward movement of whites during 19th century witnessed a series of clashes as well as reconciliation efforts with the Indians. This expansion was achieved through extensive support from the government and the role of Jefferson remained important as he continued to force the expansion of whites in areas such as Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and other parts of the country. (Zinn) The Westward expansion was also the result of the devastation caused by the war as well as the advancements in the agriculture. The civil war reconstruction coupled with greed and passion for profits further resulted into the westward expansion and systematic extinction of Indians in the West of the country. (Johnson). Due to the geographic nature of the area around the Mississippi river, the area presented a more profitable opportunity for merchants to engage into the
Parents should not let their children spend much time watching Research Paper
Parents should not let their children spend much time watching television - Research Paper Example The debate on whether parents should or should not let their children append a lot of time watching TV carries much weight. This is in relation to how much beneficial or adverse extended periods of TV watching are to children and the likely effects to their later lives. As a result, we seek to find reasons as to why parents should not let their children spend too much time watching television, as well as some of the reasons why watching it is beneficial to children. Common arguments among those who are against children watching TV fall on morality. In this light morality carries issues of violence and risk assessment in regard to one’s behavior. The argument they place on the issue lays on the content aired on Television programs depicting the use of violence, and other violent acts, mild or severe, in resolution of conflicts between individuals and groups. This is in cases of religious violence that at times is aired blatantly by some radical organizations in a quest to incit e sympathizers to join them in their fight for goals they hold dear. In some movies and programs that are aired on TV, going by the name of action, tend to contain scenes of violence that are, at times, claimed to be justified. This is by having story lines that claim the perpetrator to have a genuine or righteous cause that should be seen to the end. The cause is usually on the lines of rescuing loved ones or fighting crime, quite literally. Owing to this, those that are against children watching TV claim that these negative behaviors and attitudes may get to their children. In addition, opposers of TV claim that images portrayed to children are not as simple as thought as they produce the opposite of the desired effect. This is in regard to showing children that there is no room for negotiation in wrongdoing and that violence is the only means of resolution of conflicts of interests should other means fail. This is in spite of other options having no chance to prove themselves in clearing controversial or volatile situations. Owing to such programming issues, the more time that a child spends watching TV translates to increased exposure to such rash concepts that adults engage in with little regard for the consequences. The other form of violence that children get exposure to is that of violence expressed towards women. Violence perpetrated against women on TV leads to poor images of women that remain etched in the young and innocent minds of children (Kahlor and Eastin 215). This occurs by labeling males as the dominant human in any situation, in the society. Therefore, to exercise their dominance, men maintain their dominance, when threatened, through violence creating a negative image of women. In addition, through violence directed at women, children gain a wrong perception that the only way to suppress women in their quest to gain an equal status as men is to subject them to acts of subordination. Such actions include sexual assault and sexual violence in the form of rape (Kahlor and Eastin 216). Opposers, in my opinion, therefore, have solid ground on this issue with backing from facts as evidence sustains their arguments In addition to their claims, violence on TV appears as a positive thing that is to be emulated in order to live a full and satisfying life. This is particularly so by using violence by TV stars to gain wealth and live a fulfilling life. Violence of this form and in such levels translates to poor relations with others, as what the child understands is how to use his or her physical strength to enforce decisions, or wishes. This way, children tend to exercise violent acts towards other children in the society and at school; which makes TV viewing a contributor to bad living (Facts for Families). On the moral issue of risk assessment, those that are against watching extended hours of TV for children due effects it has on their awareness of the experiences found in the world. They base this on the idea that, to make decisions on
Friday, October 18, 2019
Ethics in Business & Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Ethics in Business & Society - Essay Example Ms. Patricia Dunn actually wanted to discover who (was the culprit) provided secret information to the personnel associated with print and internet media (Wall Street Journal). The paper will first throw light over the business case and will then demonstrate the ethical considerations by analysing Consequentialist and Deontological theories of business ethics. Hewlett Packard (HP), which is an American multinational corporation, has been involved in global business of computer products, accessories, instruments and information technology equipments that facilitate in communication, networking, office work and record keeping of business operations. Indeed, HP competes with Dell, Toshiba, Sony, Apple, IBM and other supranational corporations, yet it has achieved the milestone of over $100 billion sales in a year. This is the evidence that products offered by HP are widely acceptable among customers who demand credibility, security, durability and optimal quality for money they spend on goods and services. The global producer and international giant is specialised in manufacturing, production, assembling and marketing of various hardware equipments and software programs for its large pool of actual and potential buyers that appreciate and endorse the ideas and market offerings of Hewlett Packard (HP). Personal computers, laptops and notebook s, computer accessories, peripheral devices such as scanners, external storage devices, variety of printers including desktop, laser, ink jet and large plotters etc, home servers, monitors, calculators, handhelds (Personal Digital Assistants) and computer maintenance services are among the major products offered by HP to consumers worldwide. It should be pointed out that Ms. Patricia Dunn discovered about information leaks when CNET, which is a famous online technology publisher, openly published a story about upcoming HP products,
How do retailers make sure that they are reaching the older customer Thesis
How do retailers make sure that they are reaching the older customer How can they successfully keep the retail experience relev - Thesis Example Layout of products and websites (how are products presented) How easy is it to navigate? Screen Language used Promotional offers Delivery charges and methods Mailing, newsletter (sent according to previous purchase or not) Help and FAQ area Swot analysis and recommendations III. Conclusion Recommendations One of the major changes of the century is the global ageing population. As Richard Watson says in his book Future Files (2008), the ageing population is the biggest trend that will shape the next 50 years and that will radically modify the way people consume. According to the British Parliament website, 10 million people in the UK are over 65 years old. The latest projections are for 5? million more elderly people in 20 years time and the number will have nearly doubled to around 19 million by 2050. We can explain the trend by the fact that people are now not only living longer thanks to great progress in the medicine but also the ageing of the large number of individuals born during the baby boom. Figure 1: Population by age in the UK in 1984, 2009 and 2034 Source: National Statistics Online, 2010 Hence, the 60 plus market represents a great market for retailers who shouldn’t ignore them since they not only have more time to shop than any other age category but they usually have a significant buying power across many product fields. However they have different needs, including the fact that, most of the time, they do not want to go shopping for hours in crowded and gigantic stores or others can’t because they don’t drive (mostly for seniors over 70 years old). As a consequence, the retailers have to find a way to reach these customers by bringing the products to them. Several ways can used to do so, for example Internet or catalogue shopping. They can also facilitate their shopping experience, for instance by offering to deliver the products that they choose in the shop directly at home for free. We will study in this report all of t hese channels focusing on the E-Retailing as a way to reach the older customer. Who are these seniors? As Barry Gunter explains in his book Understanding the older customer (1998), when it comes to communication, a major mistake that the retailers need to avoid is stigmatising the older customer with stereotypes regarding their physical and mental capacities as they could be misunderstood and depreciated. Age is a relative concept; we can’t really define seniors by their age but more by the age felt. For doctors, people become seniors at the age of 70 years old when specific diseases affecting their patients. For the state, the barrier is 60 years old at the time of retirement. But for our study, we will focus on people over 60 years old, the fact that they retire from their careers make them different consumers from younger age groups who buy differently and have much more free time on their hands. We will limit our study to 80 years old people who are part of the oldest gen eration who don’t really consume that much, due to their difficulty to move out of the house and the fact that they are in nursery houses. So how do senior citizens see themselves? At 65, there is a gap of almost 20 years between chronological age
Thursday, October 17, 2019
BUSINESS STRATEGY (EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & TOWS MATRIX Essay
BUSINESS STRATEGY (EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & TOWS MATRIX - Essay Example This study looks at the external factors in addition, seeks to determine their impact on the operations of the organization through external factor evaluation matrix. A similar exercise will be undertaken for internal factors through internal factor evaluation matrix. The paper evaluates CIGNA Corporation first by using Porters five forces. These include barriers to entry that were found to be high and increasing, the bargaining power of suppliers that was found to vary because of conglomeration in the industry, and a moderately low customer bargaining power. Additionally, the threat of substitute products was low and rivalry between competing firms was found to be high. In the external evaluation of CIGNA Corporation, the paper seeks to evaluate the Corporation’s opportunities and threats. CIGNA Corporation has several opportunities in its external environment, including market exchange rates, which, by being an International Corporation, it can take advantage of by getting higher earnings from regions with high exchange rates. There is also increased demand for health care, increased disposable income that would benefit CIGNA, ethnical growth from an expanding population, and a growth in retirees who require increased levels of health care. The various threats that face CIGNA include the reduction of premiums due to decreased disposable income after the financial crisis, health care reform regulation that directs them to insure patients through using pre-existing conditions, and the global recession that has seen unemployment levels go up thus plummeting the amount of premiums to be paid. The paper also evaluates internal factors that affect the operations of CIGNA Corporation, i.e. strengths and weaknesses. The strengths that are inherent in CIGNA Corporation include a strong national network that helps build credibility, a comprehensive offering that attracts a large customer base, growing global
Science Lab 2 Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Science 2 - Lab Report Example Using MuseLAB, a log will represent the hurricane and separate six red lizards from the main group present in the mainland. Afterwards, the log shifted toward an island distant from the mainland and represented by a wet patch of grass and undergrowth. This shift was another six red lizards to the wet patch of grass and undergrowth. The MuseLAB software will animate the changes in the colors of the two isolated populations as they differentiate in line with the conditions of the new surroundings. Animations of the different colors of both groups of lizards should account for a physical trait capable of being passed down to the next generations. The offspring of the six red lizards maintained their cover in the mainland even after three generations. On the other hand, the offspring of the other group of lizards in the island slowly adopted green bodies after three generations. The six red lizards use this body color to mimic a different species of extremely poisonous lizards within the same ecosystem. The hurricane did not separates these two spaces thereby allowing the offspring to maintain the red color three generations down the line. In contrast, the brown lizards adopted a green body color to achieve optimal camouflage in a surrounding with thick green vegetation and
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
BUSINESS STRATEGY (EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & TOWS MATRIX Essay
BUSINESS STRATEGY (EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & TOWS MATRIX - Essay Example This study looks at the external factors in addition, seeks to determine their impact on the operations of the organization through external factor evaluation matrix. A similar exercise will be undertaken for internal factors through internal factor evaluation matrix. The paper evaluates CIGNA Corporation first by using Porters five forces. These include barriers to entry that were found to be high and increasing, the bargaining power of suppliers that was found to vary because of conglomeration in the industry, and a moderately low customer bargaining power. Additionally, the threat of substitute products was low and rivalry between competing firms was found to be high. In the external evaluation of CIGNA Corporation, the paper seeks to evaluate the Corporation’s opportunities and threats. CIGNA Corporation has several opportunities in its external environment, including market exchange rates, which, by being an International Corporation, it can take advantage of by getting higher earnings from regions with high exchange rates. There is also increased demand for health care, increased disposable income that would benefit CIGNA, ethnical growth from an expanding population, and a growth in retirees who require increased levels of health care. The various threats that face CIGNA include the reduction of premiums due to decreased disposable income after the financial crisis, health care reform regulation that directs them to insure patients through using pre-existing conditions, and the global recession that has seen unemployment levels go up thus plummeting the amount of premiums to be paid. The paper also evaluates internal factors that affect the operations of CIGNA Corporation, i.e. strengths and weaknesses. The strengths that are inherent in CIGNA Corporation include a strong national network that helps build credibility, a comprehensive offering that attracts a large customer base, growing global
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
Security - Essay Example It is also reflective of how law, crime and morality are perceived by members of the society. The security practices of removing concealments from the sidewalks to protect people who travelled the highways from being attacked by robbers could not work alone. Other attempts to deal with crime at the local level proved futile and so night watches and patrols which were established privately was the means of protection for citizens. Fischer et al (2008) indicate that under the feudal system the society was controlled by kings and feudal barons and so a high level of security was available for both individuals and groups. However, judicial reforms led to the separation of courts and the exercise of the rule of law from the power of the king. Every district was then made accountable for crimes committed within its boundaries and all strangers were required to report to the magistrates on entering a district. Attempts to control crime and other vices were not successful and this also led to the establishment of private night watches and patrols. Steenkamp (2002) indicates that Armed robberies of merchants and other groups such as clergymen and nobles who often carried money and other valuables became commonplace during the period. The safety of those who were affected could only be guaranteed by hiring private security. Six and Kowalski (n.d.) defines risk as the possibility of the occurrence of a harmful or undesirable event. This consists of events including harm, injury or abuse to individuals or groups of people. Risk management is a procedure aimed at protecting individuals or a group of people. Amanda D’Costa (2011) introduced six steps in a risk management program. They are: As a first step risks need to be identified before they can be dealt with. Once they are identified they should be registered so that all parties concerned will have an idea of the risk factors. In
Monday, October 14, 2019
People with Learning Disability Essay Example for Free
People with Learning Disability Essay To make sure that people with learning difficulties are able to live in their flats independently and not go through any abuse, there are various strategies to help them such as: Protection of Vulnerable Adults scheme (POVA) The Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) scheme was July 2004 was introduced to protect vulnerable adults such as people with learning disability who are aged 18 years and over in care settings. Employers or managers are required to check the POVA list when employing workers, carers or volunteers who are in regular contact with vulnerable adults. They also have a responsibility to refer care workers to the POVA list if they have harmed vulnerable adults in their care. When an individuals name is placed on the POVA list, that person is not able to work with vulnerable adults until his or her name is removed from the list. The POVA scheme is designed to give significantly greater protection to vulnerable adults. Employers have a duty to check that potential new care workers are not on the POVA list before allowing them to work in a care position. They will have to do it as part of the CRB Disclosure application process. Multi-agency working Multi-agency working means different services, agencies, teams of professionals and other staff working together to provide services that meet the needs of vulnerable adults. As multi-agency working supports vulnerable adults such as learning disabled people, it puts them at the centre of decision making in order to meet their needs and improve their lives. Multi agency working encourages problems to be identified early and can be intervened. They share and manage information and keep the information up to date. They keep in track any improvements the clients have made or any improvements that needs to be made. They co-operate with each other. So, if there is any suspicion of abuse, they use the same strategies to deal with the abuse and safeguard adults from any harm or danger. In this way, it helps to minimise the potential for abuse. Working practices needs assessment Service users needs must be assessed so that we are able to know their strengths. We can also find the areas where they need help and support and plan appropriate levels of support to improve the service users lives. Their needs are assessed to monitor if they are improving or getting worse. If the service users needs are not considered or met properly then abuse such as physical, financial, psychological abuse, etc can occur intentionally or unintentionally, which can deteriorate the health of the service user. When assessing the needs of the service users, it is important to identify the vulnerability of the service user so that further steps can be taken to avoid any risk of potential abuse. In this way, needs assessment is vital when care planning for service users. Oral/Written/Electronic communication Communication is an important way of minimising any potential abuse. Effective communication with service users and others involved in their care is essential. We are able to find out their needs and problems if we are able to communicate with them effectively. The information of the service user must only be given to people who need to know about the service user. It should be kept safe and confidential from other people and prevent any risk of harm or danger. For example, keeping information in computers with passwords, etc. Working in partnership with service users It is important that care professionals work in partnership with service users so that they can gain trust from them and feel more empowered. This way they are able to feel more confident when talking about their problems and worries. From this, we are able to find out if they are being abused. They wouldn’t hesitate when talking about the abuse. Partnership with service users also means care professionals helping service users to recognise when a relationship is abusive. Care workers can help them to know more about how to protect themselves by knowing their rights and how to complain. Thus, potential abuse can be minimised by working in partnership with service users. Strategies between professionals and within organisations It is vital to have effective communication between professionals and organisations so that service user is protected. When there are any changes such as improvement in service users or degrading in their health conditions or if there is a suspicion of abuse, information must be shared by communication. By communicating, they are able to monitor the service users well being and they can be up to date with information of service users. They are able to take action and ensure that service users needs are met.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Red Badge Of Courage :: Essays Papers
Red Badge Of Courage Throughout the story many settings appear, the most important one is the battlefield. The time is 1862, which is the period of the Civil War. The story begins at dawn on a cold morning when the army rests by campfires on some hills. As a tall soldier, who later becomes known as Jim Conklin, washes his shirt at the river, he hears a rumor. He rushes to tell his comrades that the regiment will move the following day. When the loud soldier, Wilson, hears this rumor, he argues with Jim that it is a lie. While this argument is taking place, the youthful soldier and main character in the story, Henry Fleming, is listening attentively. He then thinks what his reaction to fighting in battle will be. A flashback to when he first enlisted against his mother’s wishes occurs. He remembers fantasies of glorious and bloody wars of times past. Henry thinks that war is a courageous adventure. This transports us to a different setting at his farmhouse. During this time, the people live a simple life mostly based on agriculture. The youth also recalls his mother’s lecture before departing. â€Å"She could . . . give him many hundreds of reasons why he was vastly more important on the farm than on the field of battle†(p. 4). His mother warns him about taking care of himself and staying away from bad companions. His mother’s character symbolizes many different concepts. Because of the era in which the story takes place, one can imagine that this woman is uneducated. Her farming lifestyle implies that she is a hard-worker, especially since no father-figure is present in the household. This image also sets an earthy, or realistic, tone contrasting with Henry’s fantasizing. Her simple actions, such as knitting him socks, and farewell speech show her motherly love, which represents motherhood. In this mental setting, one learns of Henry’s emotions about his mother and his views about war. He struggles with the idea of what his reaction will be to a real battle. The notion that he might run penetrates his thoughts. Running would prove that he is not courageous or heroic and that his fantasies of triumph in war are just fantasies. The more he imagines himself fighting, the more he â€Å". . . failed in an effort to see himself standing stoutly in the midst of them,†them being the threats of the future attacks (p.
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Designing an Amateur Darkroom :: Essays Papers
Designing an Amateur Darkroom The first time I processed my own roll of black and white film I was around 14 years old. Being very anxious to see the pictures I had taken, I couldn't even wait for the film to dry. I first became interested in photography in seventh grade. My parents allowed me to buy some equipment and supplies to setup my own darkroom in our home. Everyday after school I rushed home to develop and print my own film. In my darkroom, away from the outside pressures of the world I enjoyed creating my own works of art throughout the remainder of my school years. At 40 years old with a family and home of my own I still look forward to escaping the world for a little while in my own darkroom. Creating custom prints of your own can be a very rewarding and fun too. The first step in designing your own darkroom is to choose a room in your home with electric outlets, running water, and the least amount of light coming through the windows and doors. The room must be light tight, you can accomplish this by covering the windows with a black cloth or heavy gauge vinyl. To check for stray light, stay in the darkroom for five minutes with all the lights off. Hold a piece of white paper against a dark background, if you can't see the paper, it passes inspection. If there are light leaks, use black electrical tape to cover them. The materials needed to develop your roll of exposed film are available at any photo supply store. You will need to choose the type of chemicals and paper needed according to type of film used, desired affect, convenience, personal preference, and expense. The clerks in these stores are usually very knowledgeable and helpful, explain to them what you're working on and ask plenty of questions. You will need: 1. Developing tank 5. Thermometer 2. Roll of exposed film 6. Developer 3.
Friday, October 11, 2019
National Unity
CPPS Policy Factsheet: National Unity CPPS is pleased to bring to you its â€Å"CPPS Policy Fact Sheet†on national unity. In this factsheet, we will look at government policies which affect national unity and explore their effects on social cohesion and integrity in Malaysia. BACKGROUND Malaysia is one of the most plural and heterogeneous countries in the world, with three major ethnic groups  Malay, Chinese, and Indian  plus several other indigenous tribes. It has a checkered history, having been under four different colonial powers at one time or another since the 16th century. This ethnic and cultural diversity is reflected in the wide variety of languages spoken and religions practiced in Malaysia; even within the same ethnic group, various traditions prevail. Modern Malaysia is increasingly forced to confront the tensions arising from this fount of diversity, and the politics of race and religion. Malaysia has been free of ethnic bloodshed, but there remains much room for Malaysians to understand one another and to see each other as equal parts of an indivisible nation. National unity is a key target of government policy; the Department of National Unity is tasked with promoting greater integration amongst the country’s various communities. However, numerous government policies and laws differentiate between Malaysians on the basis of ethnic background, to the point that many feel they have been the target of discrimination. Overall Malaysians are pleased with the progress the country has made in coming to terms with its plural and diverse nature. Yet, there is still significant room for improvement and ensuring that every Malaysian believes there is a place for them under the Malaysian sun. FLASH POINTS The Department of National Unity defines national unity as â€Å"a situation in which all citizens from the various ethnic groups, religions, and states live in peace as one united nationality, giving full commitment to national identity based upon the Federal Constitution and the Rukunegara. †Wawasan 2020 (Vision 2020), a government policy targeting developed status for Malaysia by the year 2020, names national unity as a key component of a developed country. The â€Å"Bangsa Malaysia†(Malaysian Nation) policy mphasises â€Å"people being able to identify themselves with the country, speak Bahasa Malaysia (the Malay language) and accept the Constitution. †Prior to Bangsa Malaysia, the government’s main thrust towards national unity was the National Culture Policy implemented in 1971, which defined the â€Å"indigenous culture†and Islam as two important bases for the national culture. The 2006 National Education Blueprint targets ra cial polarisation in the school system, aiming to use classes on the Constitution and other such activities to bring students together, while promoting Mandarin and Tamil classes in national schools. In 2008, the government announced new quotas for government scholarships, with 55% allocated to the bumiputra and 45% for non-bumiputra; previously the quota stood at 90% to 10%. The old ethnic quota system in university admissions was abolished in 2004. The National Service programme which commenced in 2003 is meant to address racial polarisation and encourage national unity by bringing youths from a variety of backgrounds together in one setting. The New Economic Policy and other associated affirmative action programmes have helped dampen Malay fears of falling behind the rest of the nation socioeconomically, but also led to concerns of government-backed discrimination amongst the non -Malay communities. BASIC STATISTICS and FACTS Malays and other bumiputra comprise 65% of the population; Chinese make up 26%, and the Indians 8%. (2000 census) 60. 4% of Malaysians are Muslim, 19. 2% are Buddhist, 9. 1% are Christian, 6. 3% are Hindu, 2. % follow Confucianism/Taoism/ another traditional Chinese faith, and 2. 4% practice other faiths. (2000 census) 93% of Malays attend national schools, 90% of Chinese attend Chinese vernacular schools, and 70% of Indians attend Tamil vernacular schools. (Prime Minister’s address to the 2004 Malaysian Education Summit) Bumiputra corporate equity stands at 19. 4%. (Mid-Term Review of the 9th Malaysia Plan) 41% of Malaysians either describe national unity as â€Å"superficial†or â₠¬Å"imposed†, or believe there is no national unity at all in Malaysia. Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 25% believe that Malaysians from different ethnic groups are drifting apart rather than becoming more united, and 15% believe that the situation will only worsen over the next decade. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) There is a clear correlation between age and mixing outside one’s own ethnic group; younger Malaysians are likelier to say they find it difficult to relate with those not from their own racial background, and less likely to say they like mixing with people of a different race. CPPS Minda Muda study) 22% do not have any friends from ethnic groups other than their own. Of those who do, 60% rarely or never take meals with their friends from other ethnic backgrounds. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) Roughly 2/3rds of young Malaysians’ close friends are primarily from the same ethnic group or religion as them. (CPPS Minda Muda study) Only 57% of Malaysians believe that government policies should focus on promoting interests common to all Malaysians, with 25% believing that government policies should focus on the interests of specific ethnic groups. Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 75% of young Malays can say they have never been treated unfairly on account of their race; however, only 45% of their Chinese peers and 49% of the Indians say the same. For religious discrimination, the same figures stand at 82% for the Malays and 53% for others. (CPPS Minda Muda study) Recent polls suggest that ethnic inequality is the 2nd-most pressing issues faced by Malaysians, at 17%, with only price hikes and inflation considered more pressing, coming in at 20%. 3% are somewhat or very dissatisfied with government efforts to address ethnic inequality. (Merdeka Centre Voter Opinion Poll 4 th Quarter 2007) Article 153 of the Federal Constitution states: â€Å"It shall be the resp onsibility of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to safeguard the special position of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and the legitimate interests of other communities in accordance with the provisions of this Article. †Article 153 has been used to permit quotas in the provision of public scholarships, civil service positions, and business licences. EDUCATION POLICIES Young Chinese Malaysians are considerably dissatisfied with the state of the education system when it comes to promoting national unity. (CPPS Minda Muda study) 64% of Chinese parents feel the education system is preparing students to be tolerant towards those of other races and religions, as opposed to 78% of Malay parents and 83% of Indian parents. (Merdeka Research Centre Education System Perceptions Survey) 86% of Malaysians believe that the time has come for a national education convention involving all races to review various aspects of our education policies. Merdeka Centre Education System Perceptions Survey) 42% of Malaysian youth reject a quota system for admissions to public universities. (Merdeka Centre Youth Expectations Survey) 37% of Malaysians believe that the streaming of primary education based on mother tongue will negatively affect ethnic relations in the long run. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 12% believe that the best way to improve ethnic relations in the country is to standardise on one education system. Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) Incidents of intolerance in the school system are often publicised in the media. Recently, a teacher told her students Indians were monkeys and children of prostitutes. The government’s response in such cases has been unsatisfactory; in here, the teacher was only transferred, with no further apparent penalty. Students often attend different primary school systems according to their mother tongue, curbing opportunities for interaction between young of different ethnic backgrounds. At the secondary level, many bumiputra students opt for one of the MARA junior science colleges or other bumiputra-dominated boarding schools, further reducing young Malaysians’ exposure to peers from different backgrounds. Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) is exclusively attended by bumiputra students; suggestions by Selangor Chief Minister Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim that it take in 10% of non-bumiputra was protested violently by students. A former Minister of Higher Education publicly declared that he would never see non-bumiputra students set foot on the campus. Although the quota system for university admissions has been abolished, there are regular calls from within the ruling party (Umno) for its restoration. Suspicions remain that the quota system is still in place by de facto, as the proportion of admitted bumiputra continues to hover between 50% and 60%. The quota system for government scholarships remains, and moves to increase the non-bumiputra quota or abolish the quotas entirely have come under fire. National Service is a popular remedial programme for racial integration; 73% of youth believe it has a positive effect on national unity, and 87% say it ought to be retained. Merdeka Centre Youth Expectations Survey) ECONOMIC POLICIES The NEP has ended but broadly refers to affirmative action for the Bumiputera in social, economic, corporate, distributive trade, and educational aspects. Its relevance has been debated recently, with some groups calling to replace this with a non-racebased affirmative action policy, focusing instead on n eed and meritocracy. A key target of the NEP was to have the bumiputra control 30% of corporate equity by 1990; when this target was not met, successor policies continued with a variety of bumiputra preferences. The 30% goal remains a key target in economic policy, and claims that it has already been attained have met with withering criticism Under the Industrial Coordination Act, the state has wide-reaching powers to achieve the 30% target. This power was most frequently used in the 1970s, when vast restructuring of numerous private enterprises took place. Public corporations must have a bumiputra equity stake of at least 30%, although there are exceptions granted. Tax breaks for companies with 30% or more bumiputra ownership are common. The state has taken over several foreign enterprises and established numerous government-linked corporations (GLCs) with the explicit purpose of increasing the bumiputra equity share. Loose employment quotas apply to large establishments, which must employ staff in the same proportions as the overall ethnic composition of the country. Similar quotas also apply to the boards of directors for a number of firms. Civil service positions are subject to even more stringent quotas; a common and targeted ratio is 4 bumiputra to 1 non-bumiputra. There are overt bumiputra preferences in public procurement, where construction contracts, etc. re frequently given to bumiputra-controlled firms without an open tendering process. Government policy is to encourage GLCs to follow government procurement procedures, extending the preferences to the commercial sector. In a controversial move, Maybank in 2007 announced it would only utilise law firms with a bumiputra ownership stake of 51% or more; after public outcry, the policy was rolled back. Price discrimination, whereby the government subsidises bumiputra contractors’ bids, is also a frequent practice. All new real estate developments are required to provide a certain discount for bumiputra buyers. Shares in initial public offerings (IPOs) meant for bumiputra ownership are also frequently sold at a discount. No government policy has ever set explicit targets for inter- or intra-ethnic income inequality. The government monitors the incomes of various ethnic groups, but reducing income disparities or uplifting the poor in general is not a major priority. Studies indicate significant dissatisfaction amongst the Chinese population with the government’s economic policies, which a substantial number perceive as detrimental to national unity. CPPS Minda Muda study) 39% of Malaysian youth believe that Malay preferences in government assistance ought to be abolished. (Merdeka Centre Youth Expectations Survey) Source: CPPS Minda Muda study Policies for a Particular Group Only Sta teme nts on Econ Policies good for Economic unity Policie s 1. 17 1. 04 1. 96 0 1 2 3 4 5 2. 17 1. 93 2. 48 4. 01 3. 4 4. 2 Indian/Others Chinese Malay NEP good for unity RELIGION and the LAW Amongst non- Muslims, concern is growing that Islamic law as practiced in Malaysia impinges on some of their rights. The Lina Joy case in 2007 ended with the apex Federal Court ruling 2-1 that Malaysians legally defined as Muslims cannot convert out of Islam without going through the Muslim Syariah court system. In 2005 Maniam Moorthy (also known as Mohammad Abdullah) was buried as a Muslim because official records indicated he had converted from Hinduism to Islam; his family protested as he had never given them any indication of conversion, and continued to practice the Hindu faith. The civil courts refused to hear the matter, and referred the Hindu family to the Muslim Syariah courts. In 2005, T. Saravanan converted from Hinduism to Islam, and filed an application in the Syariah Courts to dissolve his civil marriage and gain custody of his children. His wife, R. Subashini, insisted that only the civil courts could dissolve a civil marriage, but the civil courts held that they had no jurisdiction over the matter because as a Muslim Saravanan was now subject to Islamic family law. 2007 saw the case of Revathi Massosai, whose parents had registered her as a Muslim at birth, but had been raised as a practicing Hindu by her grandmother. When she filed an application to change her legal status from Muslim to Hindu, she was detained by Muslim religious authorities and sent for rehabilitation, where she claimed she was forced to consume beef and follow Muslim religious traditions. Numerous non-Muslim places of worship, primarily Hindu temples, have been demolished in recent years as illegal structures on public land. Non-Muslim activists claim that as historical landmarks, many of these buildings should have remained standing, and allege government discrimination in targeting non-Muslim places of worship. Interfaith dialogue has often been attacked as a challenge to the position of Islam, which is the official religion of Malaysia. Attempts to set up an Interfaith Commission have been rebuffed as a non-Muslim attempt to regulate Islamic beliefs, and civil society-organised forums on Muslim religious issues such as conversions have been forced to a premature close by vocal protests. Top government officials, including the present Prime Minister and his predecessor, have declared Malaysia an Islamic state although no related amendments to the law have been made. It is not clear what ramifications this has in store for the nonMuslim communities, but some fear this is an implicit justification for perceived injustices like the aforementioned cases. Mean Ranks Respondents were asked to rank on a 5-point scale the following statements, with â€Å"1†as â€Å"Fully Disagree†and â€Å"5†as â€Å"Fully Agree. The statements here read: â€Å"Government policies to help the poor should be for a particular group of Malaysians only. †â€Å"Government economic policies are good for national unity. â€Å"I think the NEP has been good to unite the country together. †IDENTITY and POLITICS 45% of Malaysians see themselves as Malaysian first, with 42% (including over half the Malays) identifying primarily as members of their respective ethnic groups. 12% believe they are equally Malaysians and equally members of their own ethnic communities. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) Young Malaysians have diff erent orientations; 40% say they see themselves as Malaysian first, but 39%  mostly Malay  identify primarily as the member of a religious group. 0% of Chinese Malaysian youths see themselves as a member of their own ethnic group first, as opposed to 7% each for the Malays, Indians and non-Muslim bumiputra. (DiGi Snapshot: MERDEKA Youth in Focus) Ethnic stereotyping is prevalent, with 58% of Malaysians saying Malays are lazy, 65% saying Chinese are greedy, and 58% saying Indians cannot be trusted. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 70% of Malaysians believe they should help those from their own ethnic group first before helping others. Only 56% are more concerned about other Malaysians than their Muslim, Chinese or Indian counterparts overseas. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 75% view their own culture as superior to other Malaysian cultures. However, 92% say they are happy to live in Malaysia because they get to enjoy different cultures. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 67% of Malaysians want each ethnic group to maintain its own cultural identity; however, 10% of the Malays prefer all people to practice Malay cultural traditions. A further 25% of Malaysians would like to see different cultures mix and give birth to a new unique set of traditions. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 90% are proud to be Malaysian, and 93% have never thought of emigrating to another country. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 40% of Chinese and Indians believe they are second-class citizens. A vast majority of Malaysians  94%  however say that no matter how difficult ethnic relationships sometimes get, Malaysians should consider themselves lucky to live here. Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) There is a clear divide about the political direction of the country. Non-Malays are nearly unanimous in hoping that all cultures and religions will be given equal rights, but this is shared by only 38% of the Malays. 16% favour a Malay-dominant country, while 43% would like a more Islamic country. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) While 46% of Malaysians, most of them Malay, believe that Malaysian society is mature enough to discuss racial and religious issues openly, 49% think that these issues are too sensitive to merit an open discussion. Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 55% of Malaysians believe that politicians are to blame for segregating the people through racial politics. A slim majority of the Malays, however, disagree. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) The most popular of five different proposals to improve national unity was the implementation of just and fair government policies, favoured by 34% of Malaysians, especially 59% of the Chinese. The next-most popular suggestion was to hold more programs such as National Service and Rukun Tetangga, garnering support from 22%. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) Not H arm onious at al 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Malay Chinese Indian/Others 0 10 20 30 40 race q7a_1 V er y Harmonious Percent Source: CPPS Minda Muda study Respondents from the Malay ethnic group rated religious harmony significantly higher than did those from Chinese and Indian/ others ethnic groups. This is visible from 22% of Malays giving high ratings (9 and 10 on a 10-point scale) to religious harmony, compared to 13% of Indians/others and only 1% of Chinese. The mean Malay rating for religious harmony was 7. 3, as opposed to 5. 5 for Chinese respondents and 6. 8 for Indians/Others. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS The government’s focus should be on the initiatives to promote Malaysia’s domestic entrepreneurial capacity. As history has indicated, entrepreneurial capacity cannot be cultivated primarily through selective patronage and easy access to bank loans and government concessions. The need now is for the promotion of policies based on merit. Immediate implementation of a more merit-based public personnel system in the civil service for enhancing equality of opportunity in recruitment and career advancement. The various public service commissions should be made more representative in order to enhance public confidence in their guardianship of the merit system. Annual intake of fresh recruits should comprise 60 percent of Malays and 40 percent of non-Malays. Terminate the policy and practice of having some public tertiary institutions open to only specific ethnic groups. Set out clear and transparent criteria of admissions applicable to all public tertiary institutions. The criteria should include a weighting for socio-economic and geographical/regional background to compensate for socio-economic and geographical/ regional disadvantage. Introduce/expand the provision of scholarships for academic excellence, to be applied to the top 5 per cent of applicants/ enrolees in selected fields assessed as critical to Malaysia’s social, cultural and economic needs and future. Introduce a provision for scholarships to the next 5 per cent of applicants/enrolees in selected fields assessed as critical to the civil service. Introduce/ expand a loan scheme for all others that will be discounted in proportion to academic achievement, that is, achievement of highest honours will result in a conversion of 80 per cent of the loan to a scholarship, and so on. This addresses issues of affordability, while simultaneously factoring in an incentive to performance. End all explicit or implicit quotas in the recruitment and promotion of faculty as it is ridiculous to entrust the higher education of our young to any but the most qualified. Consideration should be given to the establishment of a special department or agency to look after non-Bumiputera ethnic minority affairs, and especially to provide oversight in the fair and unbiased implementation of government programmes. Such an agency should be broad based and include representatives from government, interest groups, ethnic minority communities and NGOs. National Unity CPPS Policy Factsheet: National Unity CPPS is pleased to bring to you its â€Å"CPPS Policy Fact Sheet†on national unity. In this factsheet, we will look at government policies which affect national unity and explore their effects on social cohesion and integrity in Malaysia. BACKGROUND Malaysia is one of the most plural and heterogeneous countries in the world, with three major ethnic groups  Malay, Chinese, and Indian  plus several other indigenous tribes. It has a checkered history, having been under four different colonial powers at one time or another since the 16th century. This ethnic and cultural diversity is reflected in the wide variety of languages spoken and religions practiced in Malaysia; even within the same ethnic group, various traditions prevail. Modern Malaysia is increasingly forced to confront the tensions arising from this fount of diversity, and the politics of race and religion. Malaysia has been free of ethnic bloodshed, but there remains much room for Malaysians to understand one another and to see each other as equal parts of an indivisible nation. National unity is a key target of government policy; the Department of National Unity is tasked with promoting greater integration amongst the country’s various communities. However, numerous government policies and laws differentiate between Malaysians on the basis of ethnic background, to the point that many feel they have been the target of discrimination. Overall Malaysians are pleased with the progress the country has made in coming to terms with its plural and diverse nature. Yet, there is still significant room for improvement and ensuring that every Malaysian believes there is a place for them under the Malaysian sun. FLASH POINTS The Department of National Unity defines national unity as â€Å"a situation in which all citizens from the various ethnic groups, religions, and states live in peace as one united nationality, giving full commitment to national identity based upon the Federal Constitution and the Rukunegara. †Wawasan 2020 (Vision 2020), a government policy targeting developed status for Malaysia by the year 2020, names national unity as a key component of a developed country. The â€Å"Bangsa Malaysia†(Malaysian Nation) policy mphasises â€Å"people being able to identify themselves with the country, speak Bahasa Malaysia (the Malay language) and accept the Constitution. †Prior to Bangsa Malaysia, the government’s main thrust towards national unity was the National Culture Policy implemented in 1971, which defined the â€Å"indigenous culture†and Islam as two important bases for the national culture. The 2006 National Education Blueprint targets ra cial polarisation in the school system, aiming to use classes on the Constitution and other such activities to bring students together, while promoting Mandarin and Tamil classes in national schools. In 2008, the government announced new quotas for government scholarships, with 55% allocated to the bumiputra and 45% for non-bumiputra; previously the quota stood at 90% to 10%. The old ethnic quota system in university admissions was abolished in 2004. The National Service programme which commenced in 2003 is meant to address racial polarisation and encourage national unity by bringing youths from a variety of backgrounds together in one setting. The New Economic Policy and other associated affirmative action programmes have helped dampen Malay fears of falling behind the rest of the nation socioeconomically, but also led to concerns of government-backed discrimination amongst the non -Malay communities. BASIC STATISTICS and FACTS Malays and other bumiputra comprise 65% of the population; Chinese make up 26%, and the Indians 8%. (2000 census) 60. 4% of Malaysians are Muslim, 19. 2% are Buddhist, 9. 1% are Christian, 6. 3% are Hindu, 2. % follow Confucianism/Taoism/ another traditional Chinese faith, and 2. 4% practice other faiths. (2000 census) 93% of Malays attend national schools, 90% of Chinese attend Chinese vernacular schools, and 70% of Indians attend Tamil vernacular schools. (Prime Minister’s address to the 2004 Malaysian Education Summit) Bumiputra corporate equity stands at 19. 4%. (Mid-Term Review of the 9th Malaysia Plan) 41% of Malaysians either describe national unity as â€Å"superficial†or â₠¬Å"imposed†, or believe there is no national unity at all in Malaysia. Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 25% believe that Malaysians from different ethnic groups are drifting apart rather than becoming more united, and 15% believe that the situation will only worsen over the next decade. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) There is a clear correlation between age and mixing outside one’s own ethnic group; younger Malaysians are likelier to say they find it difficult to relate with those not from their own racial background, and less likely to say they like mixing with people of a different race. CPPS Minda Muda study) 22% do not have any friends from ethnic groups other than their own. Of those who do, 60% rarely or never take meals with their friends from other ethnic backgrounds. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) Roughly 2/3rds of young Malaysians’ close friends are primarily from the same ethnic group or religion as them. (CPPS Minda Muda study) Only 57% of Malaysians believe that government policies should focus on promoting interests common to all Malaysians, with 25% believing that government policies should focus on the interests of specific ethnic groups. Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 75% of young Malays can say they have never been treated unfairly on account of their race; however, only 45% of their Chinese peers and 49% of the Indians say the same. For religious discrimination, the same figures stand at 82% for the Malays and 53% for others. (CPPS Minda Muda study) Recent polls suggest that ethnic inequality is the 2nd-most pressing issues faced by Malaysians, at 17%, with only price hikes and inflation considered more pressing, coming in at 20%. 3% are somewhat or very dissatisfied with government efforts to address ethnic inequality. (Merdeka Centre Voter Opinion Poll 4 th Quarter 2007) Article 153 of the Federal Constitution states: â€Å"It shall be the resp onsibility of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to safeguard the special position of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and the legitimate interests of other communities in accordance with the provisions of this Article. †Article 153 has been used to permit quotas in the provision of public scholarships, civil service positions, and business licences. EDUCATION POLICIES Young Chinese Malaysians are considerably dissatisfied with the state of the education system when it comes to promoting national unity. (CPPS Minda Muda study) 64% of Chinese parents feel the education system is preparing students to be tolerant towards those of other races and religions, as opposed to 78% of Malay parents and 83% of Indian parents. (Merdeka Research Centre Education System Perceptions Survey) 86% of Malaysians believe that the time has come for a national education convention involving all races to review various aspects of our education policies. Merdeka Centre Education System Perceptions Survey) 42% of Malaysian youth reject a quota system for admissions to public universities. (Merdeka Centre Youth Expectations Survey) 37% of Malaysians believe that the streaming of primary education based on mother tongue will negatively affect ethnic relations in the long run. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 12% believe that the best way to improve ethnic relations in the country is to standardise on one education system. Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) Incidents of intolerance in the school system are often publicised in the media. Recently, a teacher told her students Indians were monkeys and children of prostitutes. The government’s response in such cases has been unsatisfactory; in here, the teacher was only transferred, with no further apparent penalty. Students often attend different primary school systems according to their mother tongue, curbing opportunities for interaction between young of different ethnic backgrounds. At the secondary level, many bumiputra students opt for one of the MARA junior science colleges or other bumiputra-dominated boarding schools, further reducing young Malaysians’ exposure to peers from different backgrounds. Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) is exclusively attended by bumiputra students; suggestions by Selangor Chief Minister Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim that it take in 10% of non-bumiputra was protested violently by students. A former Minister of Higher Education publicly declared that he would never see non-bumiputra students set foot on the campus. Although the quota system for university admissions has been abolished, there are regular calls from within the ruling party (Umno) for its restoration. Suspicions remain that the quota system is still in place by de facto, as the proportion of admitted bumiputra continues to hover between 50% and 60%. The quota system for government scholarships remains, and moves to increase the non-bumiputra quota or abolish the quotas entirely have come under fire. National Service is a popular remedial programme for racial integration; 73% of youth believe it has a positive effect on national unity, and 87% say it ought to be retained. Merdeka Centre Youth Expectations Survey) ECONOMIC POLICIES The NEP has ended but broadly refers to affirmative action for the Bumiputera in social, economic, corporate, distributive trade, and educational aspects. Its relevance has been debated recently, with some groups calling to replace this with a non-racebased affirmative action policy, focusing instead on n eed and meritocracy. A key target of the NEP was to have the bumiputra control 30% of corporate equity by 1990; when this target was not met, successor policies continued with a variety of bumiputra preferences. The 30% goal remains a key target in economic policy, and claims that it has already been attained have met with withering criticism Under the Industrial Coordination Act, the state has wide-reaching powers to achieve the 30% target. This power was most frequently used in the 1970s, when vast restructuring of numerous private enterprises took place. Public corporations must have a bumiputra equity stake of at least 30%, although there are exceptions granted. Tax breaks for companies with 30% or more bumiputra ownership are common. The state has taken over several foreign enterprises and established numerous government-linked corporations (GLCs) with the explicit purpose of increasing the bumiputra equity share. Loose employment quotas apply to large establishments, which must employ staff in the same proportions as the overall ethnic composition of the country. Similar quotas also apply to the boards of directors for a number of firms. Civil service positions are subject to even more stringent quotas; a common and targeted ratio is 4 bumiputra to 1 non-bumiputra. There are overt bumiputra preferences in public procurement, where construction contracts, etc. re frequently given to bumiputra-controlled firms without an open tendering process. Government policy is to encourage GLCs to follow government procurement procedures, extending the preferences to the commercial sector. In a controversial move, Maybank in 2007 announced it would only utilise law firms with a bumiputra ownership stake of 51% or more; after public outcry, the policy was rolled back. Price discrimination, whereby the government subsidises bumiputra contractors’ bids, is also a frequent practice. All new real estate developments are required to provide a certain discount for bumiputra buyers. Shares in initial public offerings (IPOs) meant for bumiputra ownership are also frequently sold at a discount. No government policy has ever set explicit targets for inter- or intra-ethnic income inequality. The government monitors the incomes of various ethnic groups, but reducing income disparities or uplifting the poor in general is not a major priority. Studies indicate significant dissatisfaction amongst the Chinese population with the government’s economic policies, which a substantial number perceive as detrimental to national unity. CPPS Minda Muda study) 39% of Malaysian youth believe that Malay preferences in government assistance ought to be abolished. (Merdeka Centre Youth Expectations Survey) Source: CPPS Minda Muda study Policies for a Particular Group Only Sta teme nts on Econ Policies good for Economic unity Policie s 1. 17 1. 04 1. 96 0 1 2 3 4 5 2. 17 1. 93 2. 48 4. 01 3. 4 4. 2 Indian/Others Chinese Malay NEP good for unity RELIGION and the LAW Amongst non- Muslims, concern is growing that Islamic law as practiced in Malaysia impinges on some of their rights. The Lina Joy case in 2007 ended with the apex Federal Court ruling 2-1 that Malaysians legally defined as Muslims cannot convert out of Islam without going through the Muslim Syariah court system. In 2005 Maniam Moorthy (also known as Mohammad Abdullah) was buried as a Muslim because official records indicated he had converted from Hinduism to Islam; his family protested as he had never given them any indication of conversion, and continued to practice the Hindu faith. The civil courts refused to hear the matter, and referred the Hindu family to the Muslim Syariah courts. In 2005, T. Saravanan converted from Hinduism to Islam, and filed an application in the Syariah Courts to dissolve his civil marriage and gain custody of his children. His wife, R. Subashini, insisted that only the civil courts could dissolve a civil marriage, but the civil courts held that they had no jurisdiction over the matter because as a Muslim Saravanan was now subject to Islamic family law. 2007 saw the case of Revathi Massosai, whose parents had registered her as a Muslim at birth, but had been raised as a practicing Hindu by her grandmother. When she filed an application to change her legal status from Muslim to Hindu, she was detained by Muslim religious authorities and sent for rehabilitation, where she claimed she was forced to consume beef and follow Muslim religious traditions. Numerous non-Muslim places of worship, primarily Hindu temples, have been demolished in recent years as illegal structures on public land. Non-Muslim activists claim that as historical landmarks, many of these buildings should have remained standing, and allege government discrimination in targeting non-Muslim places of worship. Interfaith dialogue has often been attacked as a challenge to the position of Islam, which is the official religion of Malaysia. Attempts to set up an Interfaith Commission have been rebuffed as a non-Muslim attempt to regulate Islamic beliefs, and civil society-organised forums on Muslim religious issues such as conversions have been forced to a premature close by vocal protests. Top government officials, including the present Prime Minister and his predecessor, have declared Malaysia an Islamic state although no related amendments to the law have been made. It is not clear what ramifications this has in store for the nonMuslim communities, but some fear this is an implicit justification for perceived injustices like the aforementioned cases. Mean Ranks Respondents were asked to rank on a 5-point scale the following statements, with â€Å"1†as â€Å"Fully Disagree†and â€Å"5†as â€Å"Fully Agree. The statements here read: â€Å"Government policies to help the poor should be for a particular group of Malaysians only. †â€Å"Government economic policies are good for national unity. â€Å"I think the NEP has been good to unite the country together. †IDENTITY and POLITICS 45% of Malaysians see themselves as Malaysian first, with 42% (including over half the Malays) identifying primarily as members of their respective ethnic groups. 12% believe they are equally Malaysians and equally members of their own ethnic communities. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) Young Malaysians have diff erent orientations; 40% say they see themselves as Malaysian first, but 39%  mostly Malay  identify primarily as the member of a religious group. 0% of Chinese Malaysian youths see themselves as a member of their own ethnic group first, as opposed to 7% each for the Malays, Indians and non-Muslim bumiputra. (DiGi Snapshot: MERDEKA Youth in Focus) Ethnic stereotyping is prevalent, with 58% of Malaysians saying Malays are lazy, 65% saying Chinese are greedy, and 58% saying Indians cannot be trusted. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 70% of Malaysians believe they should help those from their own ethnic group first before helping others. Only 56% are more concerned about other Malaysians than their Muslim, Chinese or Indian counterparts overseas. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 75% view their own culture as superior to other Malaysian cultures. However, 92% say they are happy to live in Malaysia because they get to enjoy different cultures. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 67% of Malaysians want each ethnic group to maintain its own cultural identity; however, 10% of the Malays prefer all people to practice Malay cultural traditions. A further 25% of Malaysians would like to see different cultures mix and give birth to a new unique set of traditions. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 90% are proud to be Malaysian, and 93% have never thought of emigrating to another country. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 40% of Chinese and Indians believe they are second-class citizens. A vast majority of Malaysians  94%  however say that no matter how difficult ethnic relationships sometimes get, Malaysians should consider themselves lucky to live here. Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) There is a clear divide about the political direction of the country. Non-Malays are nearly unanimous in hoping that all cultures and religions will be given equal rights, but this is shared by only 38% of the Malays. 16% favour a Malay-dominant country, while 43% would like a more Islamic country. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) While 46% of Malaysians, most of them Malay, believe that Malaysian society is mature enough to discuss racial and religious issues openly, 49% think that these issues are too sensitive to merit an open discussion. Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) 55% of Malaysians believe that politicians are to blame for segregating the people through racial politics. A slim majority of the Malays, however, disagree. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) The most popular of five different proposals to improve national unity was the implementation of just and fair government policies, favoured by 34% of Malaysians, especially 59% of the Chinese. The next-most popular suggestion was to hold more programs such as National Service and Rukun Tetangga, garnering support from 22%. (Merdeka Centre Ethnic Relations Perceptions Poll) Not H arm onious at al 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Malay Chinese Indian/Others 0 10 20 30 40 race q7a_1 V er y Harmonious Percent Source: CPPS Minda Muda study Respondents from the Malay ethnic group rated religious harmony significantly higher than did those from Chinese and Indian/ others ethnic groups. This is visible from 22% of Malays giving high ratings (9 and 10 on a 10-point scale) to religious harmony, compared to 13% of Indians/others and only 1% of Chinese. The mean Malay rating for religious harmony was 7. 3, as opposed to 5. 5 for Chinese respondents and 6. 8 for Indians/Others. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS The government’s focus should be on the initiatives to promote Malaysia’s domestic entrepreneurial capacity. As history has indicated, entrepreneurial capacity cannot be cultivated primarily through selective patronage and easy access to bank loans and government concessions. The need now is for the promotion of policies based on merit. Immediate implementation of a more merit-based public personnel system in the civil service for enhancing equality of opportunity in recruitment and career advancement. The various public service commissions should be made more representative in order to enhance public confidence in their guardianship of the merit system. Annual intake of fresh recruits should comprise 60 percent of Malays and 40 percent of non-Malays. Terminate the policy and practice of having some public tertiary institutions open to only specific ethnic groups. Set out clear and transparent criteria of admissions applicable to all public tertiary institutions. The criteria should include a weighting for socio-economic and geographical/regional background to compensate for socio-economic and geographical/ regional disadvantage. Introduce/expand the provision of scholarships for academic excellence, to be applied to the top 5 per cent of applicants/ enrolees in selected fields assessed as critical to Malaysia’s social, cultural and economic needs and future. Introduce a provision for scholarships to the next 5 per cent of applicants/enrolees in selected fields assessed as critical to the civil service. Introduce/ expand a loan scheme for all others that will be discounted in proportion to academic achievement, that is, achievement of highest honours will result in a conversion of 80 per cent of the loan to a scholarship, and so on. This addresses issues of affordability, while simultaneously factoring in an incentive to performance. End all explicit or implicit quotas in the recruitment and promotion of faculty as it is ridiculous to entrust the higher education of our young to any but the most qualified. Consideration should be given to the establishment of a special department or agency to look after non-Bumiputera ethnic minority affairs, and especially to provide oversight in the fair and unbiased implementation of government programmes. Such an agency should be broad based and include representatives from government, interest groups, ethnic minority communities and NGOs.
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