Tribute, Farewell to Dr. Anis Shobirin

Wednesday, 30th April 2008 was the last day for Dr. Anis Shobirin, a friend, elder sister, and mentor of mine, at UIAM. That day, we held a small farewell party for her.

Dr. Anis has been working as a Research Assistant for Prof. Dr. Farouk since August 2007 after she finished doing the lab works for her PhD degree. My warm congratulation to her for has successfully obtained the PhD in last March, and for has been appointed as a lecturer at UPM. Not forgotten, for her 4th coming soon baby, insya Allah.

I got to know her when I was doing my final year project, supervised by Prof. Dr. Farouk. We were working in a same lab, namely Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Lab. Lot of things I have learnt from her. Her advices, tips, and guides particularly in doing research would always be useful to me.

Chocolate Indulgence from Secret Recipe

Syahida, Shima, Faizal, Nazri, Dr. Anis, Dr. Hamzah

We wish her the very best in all future endeavors. May Allah's blessings be always with her and her family.

Exam Results ~ Normal Distribution

Friday 2nd May 2008, 10:35 am

Note: I was in the middle of Biotechnology Departmental Meeting when I started writing a draft for this post.

I was supposed to type down the minute of the meeting this time (as I am still the departmental secretary). Yeah, I was focusing on the meeting, but now I don’t have the feel of doing it. The lecturers have started arguing each others on the matter of Final Year Projects grading. Guideline has clearly stated that there’s certain limitation in the number of students who should get A. The Dean himself has challenged any lecturers who would like to defend that his/her grades which comprises a high number of A students to bring all the students to him and let him grade them. Let the dean evaluates their reports and let them present in front of the dean. Tough, right?

Well, let’s have a break. I would only type down something which is well worth and most important, unanimously agreed by departmental members.

Normal curve

What does it mean? Does it mean that it's unethical for lecturers to normalize the graph, i.e., in case of too many students get A, by multiplying the grades by certain factor? Well, it can't be helped since most institution would not accept it as normal if there are too many students get A. For me, it's true that everything occur would likely to follow the normal distribution. And when certain thing does not follow the rule, it shouldn't be forced to be normal. It's a matter of how to make it naturally normal , not by force.

I would humbly say that, if the grades are not normally distributed, it's not students' mistake, but lecturers'. Lecturers should know how to set the question based on their students' capability, so that the results would appear in a normal distribution. It's true that very tough to have a situation where, let say, 50% of students gets A. If it happens, then there must be something wrong with the questions, i.e., perharps too easy, or rather the same questions of previous semester. Lecturers have the guideline on how to set the questions. For example, there must be few questions which could only be answered by very smart students, i.e., only 10%. The rest should be average, as well as easy questions. To force the graph to be normally distributed is not the correct way.

(11:05) Huh.. they were still arguing. When were they going to stop? Could they just agree on a mutual decision? Or was it just because some of them who still din't (or didn't try to) understand the issue and guidelines provided by the kulliyyah or rather didn't want to acknowledge their mistakes? At one moment, seemed that all of them were talking. Then how should I catch what they were talking about?

(11:20 am) Alhamdulillah, at last they managed to stop it. The HOD stressed that lecturers should thoroughly study thesis/report assigned to them, page by page, and consider them as an amanah from Allah before coming to presentation. Marks should only be given according to the overall performance of the students.

Summary: We (lecturers) have not been doing our job well because it’s still full of emotional elements attached in it. A rational suggestion: go back and read the guidelines, and consider this as a normal course and treat it fairly as an amanah from Allah.

----- and the meeting has adjourned at 1:00 pm (it began at 9:40 am)

Berapa berat gelas ini?

Suatu pagi, seorang guru berdiri di hadapan kelas sambil mengangkat segelas air. Dia bertanya kepada murid-muridnya; “Cuba kamu teka, berapa berat gelas ini?”

Jawab murid yang duduk di hadapan kelas: “50 gram, cikgu!”

Guru tersebut tersenyum. “Yang lain?” sooalnya.

“Saya rasa mungkin 100 gram,” jawab seorang pelajar perempuan.

Bangun pula seorang pelajar lelaki di tengah-tengah kelas, “Jawapannya mesti antara 50 hingga 500 gram.

Siapakah yang berjaya memberi jawapan yang betul? Adakah berat gelas itu 200 gram? 300 gram? 410 gram? atau 100 gram?

Jawab gurunya, “Jawapan kamu mungkin betul dan mungkin juga salah! Sebenarnya, berat segelas air ini tidak begitu penting sebab ianya bergantung kepada berapa lama kamu memegangnya. Jika kamu pegang gelas ini satu minit, tak jadi masalah. Kalau satu jam, tangan kamu akan sakit. Sehari! Kamu perlu diusung ke ambulans.” Ketawa murid-muridnya mendengar kata- kata guru itu.

Sambung guru tersebut; “Murid-murid sekalian… berat segelas air ini takkan berubah tapi semakin lama kamu memegangnya, ia akan menjadi semakin berat.Apa yang patut kamu lakukan ialah letakkan gelas itu ke bawah, rehat beberapa minit dan sambungnya kembali."

“Begitu juga dengan kehidupan seharian kita. Jika kita ada masalah, selesaikannya secepat mungkin. Kalau kita masih gagal menyelesaikannya, rehat sebentar. Lupakan masalah itu untuk seketika."

“Jangan terlalu memikirkannya kerana ia akan menyebabkan fikiran kita tidak tenang dan terganggu. Ketenangan amat penting sebelum kita memikirkan masalah itu kembali.”

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Sumber: eyeniey83

Kekeliruan Identiti Menjadikan Kita Hilang Arah

Artikel Dr. Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin seperti yang dimuatkan dalam Mingguan Malaysia 20 April 2008.

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Saya baru sahaja berjumpa dengan YAB Perdana Menteri secara peribadi di pejabatnya pada hari Khamis lepas. Saya memberikan pandangan dalam beberapa perkara. Antaranya mengenai tuntutan memaklumkan keislaman seseorang yang baru menganut Islam kepada keluarga. Saya bertanya maksud beliau, kerana saya amat tidak bersetuju jika itu dijadikan syarat.

Beliau memberitahu kepada saya itu bukan syarat pengesahan pendaftaran. Beliau akan membuat penjelasan nanti. Saya berterima kasih dan lega. Jika tidak, saudara-saudara muslim kita yang baru akan menjadi mangsa, sama ada tekanan keluarga atau tekanan undang-undang. Maka betapa Islam yang menjadi agama rasmi negara ini, penganutnya pula tertindas. Di manakah identiti islam dalam negara ini?

Teruskan membaca di sini>>

Bola Sepak: Warga Israel ke Malaysia?

Satu keputusan yang dikira agak mengejutkan telah dibuat oleh pihak kerajaan dengan membenarkan dua Warga Israel, iaitu Avram Grant (Jurulatih Chelsea) dan juga Tal Ben Haim (midfielder Chelsea) datang ke Malaysia pada Julai ini sempena mini-Asian Tour pasukan bola sepak Chelsea. Lihat di sini untuk berita penuh: Chelsea’s Grant and Tal cleared to come to Kuala Lumpur

Keputusan ini walaubagaimana pun dibantah oleh banyak NGO di Malaysia kerana di samping tidak mempunyai sebarang hubungan diplomatik dengan Israel, kita juga sebagai umat Islam harus sentiasa peka pada isu keganasan/kekejaman/rompakan Israel di bumi Palestin dan penderitaan saudara kita di sana yang dinafikan hak mereka oleh Israel. Satu berita telah disiarkan di MalaysiaKini yang membantah kedatangan mereka dan meminta pihak Kementerian Luar menimbang semula keputusan tersebut. Lihat Israel: Rais tidak peka isu Palestin

Kita sebenarnya bimbang kalau hari ini kita membenarkan mereka datang, kelak di kemudian hari kita akan beri lebih daripada ini. Israel dan Yahudi adalah musuh Islam & umat Islam yang sangat nyata!

Wassalam.

Message to Malaysian students out there..

As published by The Star on 13th April 2008, many of Malaysian students sent abroad to study on government scholarships, refuse to return and serve the government. Hmm..what's the problem?
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Sunday April 13, 2008

Grads prefer to stay on overseas

PUTRAJAYA: More and more medical students sent abroad to study on government scholarships, many costing more than a million ringgit each, are breaking their 10-year bond by refusing to return and serve in public hospitals.

“This is a sore point with us. In 2006, 21 medical students in Britain did not return. Last year, the number was 63. For those studying in Ireland, three students did not come back in 2006 while last year, 27 did not return,” said Human Capital Development division director Datin Madinah Mohamad.

She said these students cost the Government up to RM1.1mil each in funding for the five-year course.

“The number has been steadily increasing each year since 2003. The excuse these undergraduates often give is that they want to do their two-year housemanship over there and continue with sub-specialisation courses.

“But when they do so, they may then get employed and become eligible for registration in Britain. With the pay they are getting there, it’s highly unlikely they will come back and serve here,” she said in an interview here yesterday.

Since 2003, 145 students from Britain and 85 from Ireland have not come back. However, only three from Russia, two from Jordan and one from Japan failed to return.

Another reason many students chose to stay back could have been due to PSD’s perceived lenient treatment of such students in the past and a paltry penalty of RM160,000 each before 2003, she said.

“It encouraged undergraduates, who have seen many of their seniors being let off, to follow suit,” she said.

Although the department had officers in Britain and Ireland to track down errant medical students, some in the last year of studies ignored notices and others did not bother to show up when called for interviews.

She said tougher measures were needed to make them come back and serve or pay their bond.

The department was now seriously considering suggestions to make errant students repay twice or thrice the sum of their scholarships as punishment.

“We need to study this recommendation,” she said, adding the department had also handed 30 such cases since 1989 to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for legal action and had even declared one former student bankrupt.

But legal action was slow and guarantors would be taken to court only as the last resort, she said.

Since PSD’s Overseas Scholarship Programme started in 2000, RM2.15bil in scholarships had been given to 10,485 students up to the end of last year.

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Even the news was focusing mainly on Medical students who refuse to return, but it somehow generally reflects Malaysian students who are studying abroad. Not to be denied, of course the amount of salary paid there is much higher compared to our salary in here. It must be one of the main reason they refuse to return. Consequently, some voices might suggest, then Malaysian government should counter-back by increasing the salary, as well as the benefits given to them. But, will it be the best solution?

In my personal view, since the government has spent around RM1 million for each (medical) students (as reported in the news) for the whole period of study, hence we at least should come back and serve the Malaysians for a period of time, part of the feeling and responsibility as one of Malaysians. There's no harm of contributing back to the nations. Yeah, people tend to forget to say at least "Thank you" after they get what they have asked for. For Muslims, recognizing and appreciating others' contribution is also part of being grateful to Allah. Whenever we dare to leave something (which we think good for us, but not in the right way) to Allah, then Allah will surely replace it with something better in the future. I pray that I shall always be one of those grateful people, amin..

Wassalam.

Jika Kita Tidak Dihina Orang, Jangan Menghina Diri Sendiri

Seperti yang diharap dan dinantikan oleh kebanyakan rakyat Malaysia yang peka & sensitif, Dr. Mohd Asri akhirnya menulis sesuatu untuk tatapan serta renungan kita semua berkenaan penghinaan ahli parlimen Belanda ke atas Islam & Qur'an. Selamat membaca...

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Oleh: Dr. Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin

Di Malaysia agak menarik, mereka yang sebelum ini tidak pernah sensitif dalam isu-isu yang seperti itu, tiba-tiba muncul mengangkat sepanduk bantahan di muka hadapan akhbar. Mungkin semangat baru telah muncul dalam diri masing-masing untuk membela Islam. Itulah yang kita harapkan.

Atau, sebagai salah satu ubat yang cuba ditelan bagi memulihkan diri akibat hentakan demam pilihanraya yang ramai belum dapat ‘kebah’. Apapun sebabnya, saya amat bersetuju dengan bantahan tersebut dan juga kempen memboikot barangan Belanda.

Namun, seperti biasa saya ingin mengajak kita melihat isu ini dari sudut-sudut yang lain juga. Kita perlu jelas, bahawa apa yang kita bantah bukanlah hak untuk individu atau syarikat menerbitkan sesebuah filem. Kita percaya kepada hak dan kebebasan yang dimiliki oleh individu, atau syarikat atau negara dalam batasan yang wajar.

Teruskan membaca>>

An insult to Islam & Qur'an ~ Dutch Products: boycott or not?

Due to the release of a 15-minute anti-Islam movie by a Dutch MP, Geert Wilders, on a video-sharing website recently has drawn much attention from Muslims all over the world. Muslims have shown great sensitivity on this issue. One of the most aggressive responses by Muslims is the calls on to boycott Dutch products. Muslims are seen to be very sensitive on any offensive actions against Islam. Protests against this film have been made in most of Muslim countries. And in fact, the President of Indonesia, on behalf of the government and the people, has barred Wilders from entering Indonesia, while screenings of the movie were banned.

In Malaysia, we have seen that the Muslim Consumer Association of Malaysia has urged all Muslim to boycott Dutch products. List of the products are now being spread all over the country, which are available at their official website (Note that Dumex & Nutricia have been removed from the list. For details, please refer the website). Meanwhile, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad called Muslims to unite and boycott the products as a 'punishment' to Holland. Then, the famous wholesaler in Malaysia, Mydin stores, has also put the red label on all Dutch products at their premises and branches as a sign of protest and to remind the consumers not to buy the products. However, they would not be removed from the shelves since it is the right of each consumer to choose which brand to buy. Latest, the National Fatwa Council of Malaysia has called on Mulims to protest by boycotting Dutch products.

At Islam Online.net, Prominent Muslim Scholar, Dr. Yusuf Al-Qaradawi refuted allegations by a far-right Dutch lawmaker that the Noble Qur'an incites murder and hatred, outlining five ways to stand up to Islam offenders. He addressed that there are 5 ways can be used by Muslims to defend the Qur'an, and to response to such insult to Islam, as well as to the Prophet Muhammad:

>> "We need scholarly refutations to claims that Prophet Muhammad incited the killing of men and women. This should be done in several languages to reach all those who do not know the truth about the prophet of mercy."

>> "Heavyweight Muslim countries should have a manly stance in defense of Islam and its prophet.

>> "The peoples need to pressure their governments to take such a stand and prove to the world that the Muslim Ummah is still alive."

>> Need for artistic and media responses - "Movies and TV shows play an important role in clarifying the true image of a much-stereotyped Islam."

>> Boycotting the products of countries that allow its citizens to bash Islam

Source: IslamOnline.net

However, different opinions and arguments have been put forward towards the issue by independent writers, columnists and bloggers, particularly in Malaysia. Some may have said and agreed that to boycott Dutch products is not the right way to response, by questioning that what if one day, Malaysian products will also be boycotted by people all over the world just because of harsh and improper words or actions of a Malaysian MP. The insult has just been done by a Dutch MP, and not all the people there. We should also consider the sensitivity of Muslims, who are currently in Holland. Orang Melayu kata, "jangan cepat melatah". In fact, the Prime Minister of Holland has also made a clear statement that the government is against what Wilders has committed. Thus, approaches other than boycotting the products should be prioritized. Look here.

Hmm...what do you think? My personal view, I don't see any harm of boycotting the products. At least we have shown them that Muslims are sensitive enough when Islam is attacked, and not to just stay calm and cool (kononnya nak menggunakan pendekatan yang lebih hikmah). Refer an article written by Ustaz Zaharuddin on his webpage regarding this issue and to know what is his stand. But obviously, one thing to be highlighted, to boycott the products is not the only way. Of course, at the same time, we as Muslims must use other approaches in defending Islam, as outlined by Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi.

In fact, we have plenty of alternative products currently in the market, produced by Muslim. It does not necessary that our vehicle will run better and more efficient if we use Shell, compared to Petronas. Try to read an article written by Dr. Mohd Asri Zainul Abdin, entittled "Isu Denmark dan Jihad Ekonomi" atau "Tanggungjawab Menyokong Perniagaan Muslim". Perhaps, people are waiting for him to say something on this current issue. We'll see..

The choice is yours..but Muslims should always unite!

Isu Penayangan ‘FITNA’ Yang Menghina AL-Quran: Apa respon kita?

Petikan akhbar dari Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia:

Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia (PPIM) membantah tindakan penayangan filem FITNA oleh ahli Parlimen Belanda, Geert Wilders yang secara terang – terangan menghina Al – Quran.

Kempen Boikot 3 produk, terpilih ini Shell, Dutch Lady, Philips akan membolehkan semua masyarakat pengguna Islam di Malaysia dan seluruh dunia menyuarakan bantahan secara aman dan melakukan sesuatu bagi mengutuk serta membantah tindakan biadap serta terkeji ini.

Untuk berita penuh, sila lihat di sini.

Antara produk utama Belanda yang lain adalah seperti berikut:

- Ferrero Roche - Coklat
- Wall’s - Ais Krim
- Breeze - Pencuci Kain
- Dove - Mandian
- Dumex - Susu Tepung
- Nutricia - Susu Bayi
- Sunsilk - Shampoo
- Knorr -Perisa Makanan

Untuk senarai penuh produk-produk dari Belanda, sila lihat di sini.

Lagi berita tentang saranan PPIM di The Star Online, "Boycott Dutch Products, say Consumer Groups".

Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad & NGO juga telah menyarankan umat Islam agar memboikot produk-produk yang datang dari Belanda. Untuk berita lanjut, lihat di International Herald Tribune, "Malaysia's Mahathir urges Muslim to boycott Dutch product", atau di The Star Online, "Dr.M: United Muslim boycott is the way to 'punish' Holland".

Pihak pasaraya borong terkenal, Mydin, di seluruh negara pula telah melekatkan label merah pada setiap produk dari Belanda sebagai tanda protes & mengingatkan para pembeli supaya tidak membeli produk-produk tersebut. Lihat di sini, "Mydin stores mark protest aganist anti-Islam film".

Namun, andai segala kempen & saranan yang dibuat untuk menghukum kebiadaban para penghina Islam ini tidak mendapat sambutan dan kerjasama semua, terutamanya umat Islam seluruh dunia, maka tiadalah gunanya segala kempen tersebut. Bersama kita bangkit, tunjukkan bahawa Umat Islam mampu bertindak, dan bukan sekadar berdiam diri apabila maruah Islam dihina.

p/s: tak ruginya kalau tak isi minyak Shell (kononnya lebih kilometer..). Insya Allah, kita semua pakat isi minyak Petronas lepas ni, sekurang-kurangnya hasil keluaran negara sendiri. Telah banyak barangan keperluan keluaran kita sendiri yang berada di pasaran hari ini, jadi sewajarnya dan menjadi kewajipan kita sebagai rakyat Malaysia, lebih-lebih lagi Muslim, untuk menyokong perniagaan orang Islam. Duit orang Islam biarlah mengalir dari poket Muslim ke poket Muslim yang lain. Pengecualian hanyalah diberikan kepada produk-produk yang masih belum ada alternatif, tapi kita amat memerlukannya.

Impian Rakyat Adalah Melihat Keadilan Dan Kesaksamaan

Oleh: Dr. Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, Mufti Negeri Perlis

Rakyat bukan mengharapkan dari pemimpin untuk menunjuk-nunjuk kemewahan diri seperti mana peraga fesyen mempamerkan gaya dan keranggian pakaian mereka di atas pentas. Apa yang rakyat harapkan adalah pemimpin melakukan keadilan dan kesaksamaan.

Teruskan membaca>>
Lihat kenyataan Mufti Perlis kepada TV3 di sini>>

IIUM ~ aiming to be premier Islamic university

THE International Islamic University Malaysia (UIAM) was set up in May 23, 1983 with its mission being to become the premier Islamic university in the world.

Since then it has successfully created a curriculum based on Islamic principles and integrated basic knowledge in every field of study and research with Islamic values.

In its mission to Islamise and integrate knowledge, 85% of the curriculum and courses in every faculty are imbued with features of Islamic education. Every faculty has successfully created learning outcomes that reflect the integration of knowledge and practice. This has made UIAM an institution of excellence in integration of knowledge.

To date, UIAM has produced 28,065 and 10,767 graduates at bachelor's, and master's and doctorate levels respectively. Of these 38,832 graduates, 4,270 were international students from more than 100 countries. As such, UIAM is recognised by OIC countries as an institution that produces many international graduates.

The UIAM Silver Jubilee Celebration Logo

Internationalisation is a long-term objective for UIAM, with the aim of achieving a staff and student population at 30%. The number of international students and staff has shown a commendable increase as a result of the Sept 11, 2001 tragedy.

As such, it is continuously working towards being the preferred institution globally as well as making Malaysia a centre for education excellence in the world.

Having graduates all over the world, UIAM has officially established Alumni Chapters in Thailand, Bosnia Herzegovina, Indonesia, Maldives, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Singapore. Branches of Alumni Chapters have also been opened in Turkey, China, Nigeria, the Philippines, Yemen, Brunei, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Gambia and the United Arab Emirates.

The main functions of these Alumni Chapters are to promote the concept of humanity and development of the world community, improve relations among members throughout the world, and set up communication networks to develop UIAM and Malaysia in general.

UIAM has carved its name on the international stage in the field of debate, public speaking and mooting competitions. In debating, UIAM has been listed in the “Malaysia Book of Records” as the first among the Top 10 international universities in debating competitions.

UIAM has successfully produced a debate team that's respected at international level. Its debating team has made UIAM and Malaysia proud by winning the World's Best Debater Award in the competition held at the University of British Colombia in 2006.

In the field of research, UIAM has received recognition at regional and international level by winning gold, silver and bronze medals at various exhibitions and expos, including PECIPTA, INPEX, ITEX and Geneva.

To ensure an effective delivery system, UIAM implemented the Quality Management Systems ISO 9001:2000 for all its major activities including Human Resources Management; Facilities, Food and Services (Student Affairs Division); Management of Pre-Sessional Programmes and Public Courses; Management of ICT Resources and Application Systems; Management of Student Development Activities; and Mosque Management.

To ensure an efficient and effective delivery system, senior management emphasises on data and information technology and has developed data and information systems for staff and students respectively.

Besides this, a teaching and learning assessment system has also been developed, and students are able to directly assess their lecturers. All the data information systems can be accessed directly via the university's website.

To date, UIAM has drawn up long-term action plans such as the Strategic Plan 2001-2010 based on the Higher Education Ministry's Strategic Plan 2001-2010. This plan was reviewed in 2007 in line with current developments including the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), international system for grading universities, creation of research universities, and the Strategic Plan on Higher Education 2020, which was launched recently.

By inculcating a culture of quality and excellence among the existent workforce, UIAM will continue to be competitive in its mission to make Malaysia a centre of excellence for tertiary education globally.

Source: The Star Online http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/11/30/nation/19579717&sec=nation