Monday, August 2, 2010

1 Parlimen, 1 Koperasi

KOTA KINABALU: Satu kawasan Parlimen boleh mempunyai lebih dari satu koperasi pemborong barangan kawalan asalkan mereka layak dan memenuhi syarat, kata Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Katanya cadangan untuk melaksanakan ‘1 koperasi pemborong barang kawalan, 1 parlimen’ diumumkan awal Julai ini dan sekarang ini dalam proses memanggil koperasi-koperasi yang berminat untuk berbincang bersama dengan Suruhanjaya Koperasi Malaysia (SKM).

“Saya kata ‘1 koperasi pemborong barang kawalan, 1 parlimen’, itu minimum, kalau ada lagi yang layak, lebih pun tak apa.

“Tapi ini masih lagi tertakluk kepada syarat pemilihan walaupun ada lesen, seperti mempunyai kewangan yang kukuh dan boleh menyediakan pengangkutan serta mempunyai stor,” katanya selepas merasmikan ‘Coop Fest’ Zon Sabah 2010, di sini kelmarin.

Sebelum ini, Ismail berkata mereka melaksanakan konsep satu koperasi pemborong bagi setiap negeri, ataupun dua koperasi pemborong bagi negeri-negeri besar seperti Sabah, Sarawak dan Pahang.

Namun melihat kegiatan penipuan agak kurang di kalangan koperasi kerana mereka bukan menjalankan perniagaan untuk diri sendiri, maka kementerian telah menyuarakan hasrat untuk menambah ke setiap Parlimen iaitu 222 koperasi pemborong barang-barang kawalan termasuklah gula, gandum, minyak masak dan sebagainya.

“Setakat ini kita dah luluskan 24 koperasi pemborong barang-barang kawalan seluruh Malaysia, jadi melalui program setiap Parlimen ini kita akan perluaskan lagi.

“Sekarang kita dah mula, sesiapa yang berminat boleh memohon kepada kementerian melalui negeri-negeri, dan mereka akan syorkan kepada ibu pejabat untuk kelulusan,” katanya.

Dalam perkembangan lain, beliau berkata kementerian juga bercadang untuk mewajibkan kursus jangka pendek untuk semua ahli lembaga pengarah koperasi selaras dengan teras melahirkan ‘pemilik’ dan pemimpin koperasi yang profesional.

“Sekarang ini tak wajib, jadi kita nak wajibkan supaya sekurang-kurangnya mereka tahu bagaimana nak menguruskan mesyuarat, audit akaun dan sebagainya. Sasaran kita adalah mengurangkan gejala salah laku di kalangan pemilik tidak lebih daripada lima peratus, kurangkan ketidakpatuhan kepada peraturan SKM,” jelas beliau.

Terdahulu dalam ucapannya, beliau berkata koperasi-koperasi di Sabah telah memainkan peranan dalam menstabilkan harga barangan pengguna khususnya di kawasan pendalaman.

Mengambil contoh sebuah koperasi induk di Keningau melalui program pemborongan dan peruncitan, beliau berkata koperasi ini telah menyelaras pembelian barangan pengguna secara pukal bagi koperasi-koperasi peserta, sekaligus mengurangkan harga belian dan memanfaatkan anggota koperasi dan penduduk setempat.

Sumber: New Sabah Times

Teachers and politics don't mix said YB Datuk Masidi Manjun

Source: Sabah Daily Express

Kota Kinabalu: Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun is concerned that the move to allow the teaching fraternity to get involved in politics will have serious repercussions on education in Sabah.

While he is not against the idea that was mooted by the Federal Government, he cautioned that if it is not properly managed, it could affect the education system in Sabah, which is still in its infancy.

He was commenting on the statement by Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, on Tuesday that beginning Aug 1, graduate education service officers (teachers) on Grades DG41 to DG48 will be permitted to engage in politics.

He feared that if the teachers were too engrossed in politics, they would neglect their duty as teachers.

"Bear in mind that they are paid to be teachersÉso, their main work is to teach," he told reporters in a press conference at Wisma Tun Fuad, here, Friday.

However, he said the move would probably set some guidelines as to the level of the teachers' participation in politics.

"Because if it is a full time occupation, then he (a teacher) has to resign (from his teaching profession)," he said.

To his understanding, Masidi said teachers are probably allowed to join a political party of their own choice and contribute their ideas to its development.

At one time, he said teachers played a very important role in the community they served not only as academic instructors but also as mediators to settle disputes, among others.

Nevertheless, he said the role of teachers had changed as the years went by.

He hoped the Government would monitor the teachers from time to time to determine whether it made a good decision to allow them to participate in politics.

He said if teachers could provide service to the people via their involvement in politics, then there is nothing wrong for them to do so.

In a political party hierarchy, he said it is only natural for anyone, including the teachers, to aspire for position.

"If this comes true, I just hope it would not affect their performance as teachers," he said.

Masidi also said not all teachers would have similar inclination when comes to political party.

Some may join parties of the ruling government while others the opposition.

In this respect, he hoped there would be no grouping among the teachers due to different political ideology.

"I am just worried of the repercussions (of the move to allow teachers to engage in politics) in Sabah," he said.

After achieving independence for more than 40 years, he said Sabah is still trying to catch up with the rest of the states in the country in terms of education.

Meanwhile, Pensiangan PKR deputy chief, Affendy Abdullah @ Angindih Tukang, described the decision to allow graduate education service officers to be involved in politics as an unwise move which would distract teachers from their duties.

"The announcement by the Chief Secretary to the Government was shocking, considering that the teachers' duties and responsibilities are already challenging which need their full attention.

"I agree with political analyst Prof. Aziz Bari that the Government's move is wrong and maybe a bit desperate on their side, to the extent of permitting teachers to join politics despite shouldering many responsibilities.

"This move is illogicalÉthe announcement has become a joke," said the former teacher, stressing that Regulation 21 of the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993 must be abolished.
Instaforex