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A student gives his take on the “highs” and “lows” of studying and living in Russia.

IN the last couple of years, Russia has become a hotbed for young Malaysians who wish to pursue a career in medicine. Why? Plain and simple — its tuition fees are particularly low.

Four years ago, I was among 180 Malaysian students who entered the Russian State Medical University (RSMU) in Moscow, referred to as the Second Medical University by the locals. Although I was a freshman in a foreign university surrounded by people who spoke a language I’d only heard in movies, I was still excited to be here.

Since then, I have seen the true Russia which can be exciting to some, and not as interesting to others.

In my few years in Moscow, I’ve taken notice of Russians and their general way of life. If you were to ask me what I dislike most, I’d say it is their attitude.

Most Muscovites are terse, cold and glum, and they hardly smile. I suppose friendliness is not instilled in their culture, and that did not make me feel welcome.

Russia is a country with a lot of red tape. Most of the jobs in Moscow are still labour-intensive, which make the procedures even lengthier.

The attitude towards work here doesn’t help, either: working hours are short and employees seem to take tea breaks whenever they want!

Funnily, when they are overwhelmed by work, they tend to shout at those in their way, especially those who don’t speak Russian. Initially, I was shocked that they behaved in that manner. Now, I simply shrug it off and think to myself: “They can’t help it, it’s their culture.”

The two main concerns I had before coming to Moscow were racism and safety. To my surprise, Malaysian girls feel safer on the streets here than they do back home! According to them, they don’t need to worry about snatch thieves or strange guys eyeing them promiscuously. Malaysian girls walk about Moscow freely because they feel a sense of security and confidence.

There was only one instance when Russian winos approached me and started talking incessantly.

Policemen can be seen everywhere. They constantly patrol the streets and randomly inspect people’s documents. So, if you’re travelling in Russia, be sure to carry your passport with you at all times.

Recently, a parent contacted me. He was hoping to send his daughter to Moscow to study medicine and was under the impression that RSMU is the third-best university in the world. This is the sort of “misinformation” which agents are feeding parents back in Malaysia. The truth is, you only get what you pay for in Russia.

Don’t expect the same quality of education as in the United Kingdom or Australia, at one tenth the price. The standard of education here is hardly world-class, although it isn’t bad either.

The main problem is that lecturers aren’t very well trained in English, so it’s hard for them to elaborate certain points if a student finds these unclear. But they are undeniably very knowledgeable and can express themselves very well in Russian.

I find the education system here very “old-school”: exams are mostly oral, subjective and lack standardisation. Depending on your examiner’s mood, you could fail or pass an exam. And did I mention that most Russians are quite emotional?

Every year, slightly more than 100 new students enter my university. Every one of them is housed in RSMU’s hostel, where I’m currently staying.

The catch is that there are more students entering the university than graduating from it. Therefore, there are more students than rooms to place them in.

Instead of finding a new building to house these students, the administrators seem to have decided that the easiest solution would be to fit three people in a room for two. Who’s to blame?

Can we blame the administration for not being able to find a new building for the increasing number of students? Or is it the agents back in Malaysia, who are sending more and more students over, without caring about the facilities available?

Fortunately, not everything is as bleak as I’ve just painted. Some lecturers are very kind and most of the doctors who have taught me are very caring at heart. And we find solace in class. For a few hours every day, we can sit down and truly be students, hungry to learn and be taught.

We also have gatherings during every Malaysian celebration, to draw ourselves closer to each other. We try to cook glorious food, play sports and go shopping together.

With over 500 of us in Moscow, the Malaysian student community is pretty tightly knit. (By the way, a random survey by the students’ association showed that what Malaysian students miss most about home is food, followed by shopping, then friends.)

If you meet the right people in Moscow, you’ll find that they can be quite friendly. I have many close Russian friends, whom I’ve gone on trips with. Typically, the younger generation has a different mindset and is more open towards foreigners. If you want to survive in this country, friends can really help make things easier.

Studying in Moscow is a unique experience. It has opened my eyes to what Russia is really like and made me appreciate the simple things I have back home – the friendliness and politeness of Malaysians, for example.

So if you’re a parent, don’t be swayed merely by the cheap fees here; there are some drawbacks.

If you’re an aspiring medical student thinking about studying in Moscow, consider your other options first. And if you still decide to come to Moscow, the RSMU Malaysian Students Association  can help make your transition a little easier.

Here it is:

“An Insight into Rising Medical Costs”.

Pharmaceuticals is an important component of any healthcare system. In most medical consultation, pharmaceuticals are inevitably being prescribed, judging by the medications that patients often bring home with them after each visit.  In any national healthcare insurance scheme, the cost of pharmaceuticals is closely scruitinised and often managed through special drug formulary to contain costs.

The perception that the pharmaceutical cost itself, whether it is high or rising contributes to higher medical cost must be looked at from a more holistic view. Let us take a look at the various elements that can influence and contribute to higher medical cost.

1. Just like healthcare, pharmaceuticals is supply driven and its demand can often influence by healthcare providers
2. How our medical care is provided and paid for is contributing to the greater use of pharmaceuticals
3. Healthcare funding, whether it is public or private or even mandatory opens to abuses
4. It has often been raised that irrational prescribing is not just harmful but also contributes to undesirable prescribing habits that raise pharmaceutical usage and costs
5. Doctors being most influential in the use of prescribed medicines should pay greater attention to prescribing skill and drug knowledge
6. Pharmaceuticals have become more potent and costly and greater emphasis should be on the quality use of medicines.
7. Pharmacists should be given more visible role to provide professional medicine management especially in support of the Malaysian National Medicine Policy
8. Current pharmaceutical distribution and market do influence the use of costly medicines and at times unwarranted use as well.

1) A discerning publishing agent can ——- promising material from a mass of submissions, separating the good from the bad.

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:

To “winnow” is to sort through and select the desirable part of something or to get rid of the unwanted or undesirable part. If the publishing agent goes through the submissions, “separating the good from the bad,” then he or she can be said to be winnowing “promising material from a mass of submissions.”

2)Ramona had never visited Niagara Falls, but she could appreciate their splendor ——- through the descriptions of others.

4)Joshua’s radical ideas were frowned on by most of his coworkers, who found them too ——- for their conservative tastes.

Since that we student may often face difficulties inwritting a good essays.
This articles will indeed provide you with common mistakes made by most students when writting an essay.
Besides that ,we will understand more on our country , Malaysia!

Essay Rating: 3.5
Good points and examples are discussed in the essay. However, there are some gross and minor grammatical and spelling errors. Gross errors include subject-verb agreement errors and wrong use of nouns and adjectives. All in all, there is still room for improvement. Keep up your writing effort!

Multimedia Super Corridor

The physical MSC structure comprises several key locations within the Klang Valley, known as “Cybercities”. These locations are as follows:

1. Cyberjaya Flagship Zone

   The 2,800ha (7,000-acre) Cyberjaya is the hub of the MSC and the main focus area for MSC-status companies, and is touted as a “self-contained intelligent city”. It features an Enterprise Complex and an Incubation Centre (both of which will house MSC-status companies), a resort-style hotel (Cyberview Lodge), a shopping complex (Street Mall), Multimedia University, and several residential precincts (Cyberview Gardens, Cyber Heights Villa, D’Melor Condominiums and The Promenade). Recent new buildings include companies like HSBC, SHELL, DHL, IBM, BMW, InventQjaya and Ericsson.

   City Command Centre, Cyberjaya

   
   
   

2. Technology Park Malaysia (TPM)

   Technology Park Malaysia is centrally located in the MSC, and was set up to provide a convenient locale for MSC-status companies. The environment in TPM is ideally conducive for these companies to conduct Research & Development activities, in line with the objectives of the MSC’s flagship applications. TPM currently comprises 12 main buildings, set on 300ha (750 acres) of land. Building types include Enterprise Buildings, Incubator Buildings, an Innovation House and R&D Land Lots. There are also auxiliary facilities like a bank, restaurants, a gymnasium and convenience shops.

3. Universiti Putra Malaysia - Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (UPM-MTDC) Incubation Centre

   UPM-MTDC is a joint venture between the Malaysian Technology Development Corporation and Universiti Putra Malaysia, one of the premier public universities in Malaysia. It comprises an Incubation Centre where R&D and technology-development activities can be carried out in a feasible environment. It also provides a suitable location for academic research and activiies which can later be utilised for commercial purposes. The UPM-MTDC Incubation Centre is located within the grounds of Universiti Putra Malaysia in Serdang, in the newly built University Research Park.

4. Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC)

   The world-famous Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) is known as a “mixed-use development” area, which has facilities catering to retail, commercial, hotel, residential and recreational usages. The KLCC comprises the 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers (used to house commercial establishments and Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, an 864-seat concert hall), the six-level Suria KLCC (which offers world-class shopping through its brand-name retail outlets), the 49-storey Menara Maxis and 30-storey Menara Esso, the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur Hotel and a 20ha (50-acre) public park.

   Kuala Lumpur City Centre

   
   
   

5. Menara Kuala Lumpur (KL Tower)

   The 421-metre Menara Kuala Lumpur or KL Tower was set up as the nation’s premier telecommunications and broadcasting centre, and currently ranks as the world’s fourth tallest telecommunications tower. The building primarily houses Telekom Malaysia’s microwave station and Radio Televisyen Malaysia’s radio and TV-broadcast stations. Other services which utilise Menara KL’s superior height include paging systems, mobile telephone and other telecommunication networks, and radio services for public authorities like the police, traffic control authorities, the armed forces, and meteorological services. Menara KL also boasts an Observation Deck, the Seri Angkasa Revolving Restaurant, a pedestrian mall and shopping outlets.

6. Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)

   The KLIA constitutes the southernmost point of the MSC, and covers a total area of over 100sq km. It was inaugurated in June 1998, and incorporates an “airport in the forest” concept, whereby the airport is built within real rainforests, thus creating a natural “green” environment. The KLIA is currently capable of handling 25 million passengers a year, and is expected to handle 60 million by 2020. The state of the art facilities available at the KLIA include the Total Airport Management System, fully automated baggage handling and reconciliation system, tracked passenger transit system, and automated moving walkways.

   Ethicity & Religion in Malaysia

Malaysia is one of the most ethnically and religiously diverse nations in the world today, with all of the world’s major religions, as well as major Asian ethnic groups, represented. In this relatively tiny area, peace thrives as the various groups co-exist in harmony and tolerance; complementing one another to enrich the shared character, cultural mosaic and vision of the nation.

Chinese
The Chinese first arrived in Malaysia in the 15th century, when the Ming Princess Hang Li Po and her entourage arrived in Malacca, to establish a thriving community which gave rise to the Babas and Nyonyas of today.

But it was not until the 19th century that the Chinese had the biggest impact on the social and religious landscape of this nation, as migrants from southern China came in droves to seek their fortune in the tin mines of Perak and Selangor.

Chinese influence: This five-foot way along a building in Kuala Terengganu had its origins in early Chinese architecture

Initially, the Chinese immigrants made their livelihood as labourers, but soon many ventured into trade and industry, thriving in the former Straits Settlements of Penang and Singapore, showing an almost natural head for business.

But the settlement of the Chinese migrants wasn’t all smooth sailing. In 1948 a Communist insurrection, known as the Emergency period, began. The Communist guerrillas largely recruited from among the Chinese population, employing terrorist tactics, which prompted the resettlement of nearly half a million Chinese by the British. The insurgency eventually failed, and the Emergency was declared over in 1960.

Ironically, the Emergency spurred the movement for Independence which, through the efforts of leaders from all the major ethnic communities in Malaysia, was realised in 1957. The first government was a loose coalition of Malay, Chinese and Indian parties called the Alliance party. This successful multiethnic political collaboration continues till today.

Today, the Chinese form about 35% of the total population. Many still retain ties with their ancestral homeland, but ask any one of them, and they will tell you that they are Malaysians first.

Festivals and special occasions that the community celebrates include the Lantern Festival, Cheng Beng and of course, Chinese New Year, the time when the streets come alive with spectacular sights like the lion dance

Malay

The largest ethnic group in Malaysia, accounting for more than half of the total population today, is the Malays.

Its origins can be traced back to Yunnan China through the Proto-Malays and Deutero-Malays, which belong to the broader-based Malayo-Polynesian group of races. These early aboriginal groups first reached the peninsula around 2000BC.

Since their arrival, the cultures of the peninsular Malays have been shaped and reshaped through the many influences - including those from the surrounding areas of Jawa and Sumatra, the Indian sub-continent, China, the Middle East, and the West - due largely to the strategic position for trade, resulting in variations in customs and social identities.

Perhaps the most significant influence that has served as a unifying and binding factor among the Malays is the religion of Islam. Today, almost all Malays in Malaysia are Muslims.

However, though Islam has long been associated with the Malays, the animistic and Hindu influence of the past linger, affecting traditional beliefs, customs and rituals; a fusion of cultures which manifests in the arts, festivals and important ceremonies.

Examples of ceremonies that demonstrate the extraordinary cultural merging are the Malay wedding ceremony and the piercing of earlobes, both of which incorporate elements of Hindu tradition.

Prominent festivals celebrated include Hari Raya Puasa, Hari Raya Haji/Korban, Awal Muharram and Maulud Nabi.

The Malays, along with the indigenous people, form a group called bumiputra, a Bahasa Malaysia term which literally means “sons of the soil”, which accords them special privileges as enshrined in the Constitution.

A typical malay house

Indian

The Indian community in Malaysia is the smallest of the three main ethnic groups, accounting for about 10% of the country’s population. Tamils, Malayalees and Telegu-speaking people make up over 85% of the people of Indian origin in the country.

The Punjabis (mostly Sikhs) are also substantial in number and the people of Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan origin are included in the “Indian” category for statistical purposes.

Indians first came to Malaya for barter trade, especially in the former Straits Settlements of Singapore, Malacca and Penang.

However, when India came under British rule, Indian labourers were sent to Malaya to work on sugar cane and coffee plantations and later in the rubber and oil palm estates. Some of them also came to work on the construction of buildings, roads and bridges.

Hindu culture…in the form of colourful garments

These labourers were mostly Hindu Tamils from Southern India and they were supervised by kanganis (overseers) and mandurs (foreman) who were from the upper caste Tamils.

Sri Lankan Tamils came to Malaya as white-collar workers, holding jobs like clerks and hospital assistants. As for the Punjabis from Punjab (North India), most of them joined the army in Malaya while some handled the bullock-cart services in the country.

One of the main reasons the Indians willingly left their homeland for Malaya was because of the caste system being practiced in their country. Under the system, those who are born into the lower castes can never improve their standing in society.

The Indians who came to Malaysia brought with them the Hindu culture – its unique temples, delicious cuisine and colourful garments. Hindu tradition remains strong until today in the Indian community of Malaysia.

There’s also the Chitty community in Malacca – similar to the Babas and Nyonyas, it is the result of the assimilation between the Indian immigrants and local culture. Though they remain Hindu, the Chitties speak Bahasa Malaysia and their women dress in sarong kebayas instead of sarees.

However other Indian Hindus retain their vernacular languages and dialects. The community celebrates two main festivals – Deepavali and Thaipusam – and many other smaller religious events each year. Indians in Malaysia mainly speak Tamil, Malayalam, Telegu and some Hindi..##
source:Allmalaysia.info

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Ok..Let us start first board: That is an article regarding school violence in the news.

School violence, which was little heard of until the 1999 Columbine, Colorado, school shootings, is in the headlines again. Most recently, the shootings on the campus of Northern Illinois University brought school violence to the fore.

As terrible and frightening as incidents like these are, they are rare. Although it may not seem that way, the rate of crime involving physical harm has been declining at U.S. schools since the early 1990s.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fewer than 1% of all homicides among school-age children happen on school grounds or on the way to and from school. The vast majority of students will never experience violence at school or in college.

Still, it’s natural for kids and teens — no matter where they go to school — to worry about whether this type of incident may someday affect them. How can you help them deal with these fears? Talking with kids about these tragedies, and what they watch or hear about them, will help put frightening information into a more balanced context.

Reaching Out to Your Kids

It’s important for kids to feel like they can share their feelings, and know that their fears and anxieties are understandable.

Rather than waiting for your child to approach you, consider starting the conversation. Ask kids what they understand about these incidents and how they feel about them.

Share your own feelings too — during a tragedy, kids may look to adults for their reactions. It helps kids to know that they are not alone in their anxieties. Knowing that their parents have similar feelings will help kids legitimize their own.

At the same time, kids often need parents to help them feel safe. It may help to discuss in concrete terms what you have done and what the school is doing to help protect its students.

What Schools Are Doing

Many schools are taking extra precautions to keep students safe. Some schools have focused on keeping weapons out by conducting random locker and bag checks, limiting entry and exit points at the school, and keeping the entryways under teacher supervision. Other schools use metal detectors.

Lessons on conflict resolution have also been added to many schools’ courses to help prevent troubled students from resorting to violence. Peer counseling and active peer programs have also helped students become more aware of the signs that a fellow student may be becoming more troubled or violent.

Another thing that helps make schools safer is greater awareness of problems like bullying and discrimination. Many schools now have programs to fight these problems, and teachers and administrators know more about protecting students from violence.

How Kids Perceive the News

Of course, you are not your child’s only source of information about school shootings or other tragic events that receive media attention. Kids are likely to repeatedly encounter news stories or graphic images on television, radio, or the Internet, and such reports can teach them to view the world as a confusing, threatening, or unfriendly place.

Unlike movies or entertainment programs, news is real. But depending on a child’s age or maturity level, he or she may not yet understand the distinctions between fact and fantasy. By the time kids reach 7 or 8, however, what they watch on TV can seem all too real. For some youngsters, the vividness of a sensational news story can be internalized and transformed into something that might happen to them. A child watching a news story about a school shooting might worry, “Could I be next? Could that happen to me?” TV has the effect of shrinking the world and bringing it into our living rooms.

By concentrating on violent stories, TV news can also promote a “mean-world” syndrome that can give kids a misrepresentation of what the world and society are actually like.

Talking About the News

To calm fears about the news, parents should be prepared to deliver what psychologists call “calm, unequivocal, but limited information.” This means delivering the truth, but in a way that fits the emotional level of your child. The key is to be truthful, but not go into more detail than your child is interested in or can handle.

Although it’s true that some things can’t be controlled, parents should still give kids the space to share their fears. Encourage them to talk openly about what scares them.

Older kids are less likely to accept an explanation at face value. Their budding skepticism about the news and how it’s produced and sold might mask anxieties they have about the stories covered. If an older child is bothered about a story, help him or her cope with these fears. An adult’s willingness to listen will send a powerful message.

Tips for Parents

Keeping an eye on what TV news kids watch can go a long way toward monitoring the content of what they hear and see about events like school shootings. Here are some additional tips:

• Recognize that news doesn’t have to be driven by disturbing pictures. Public television programs, newspapers, or newsmagazines specifically designed for kids can be less sensational — and less upsetting — ways for them to get information.

• Discuss current events with your child on a regular basis. It’s important to help kids think through stories they hear about. Ask questions: What do you think about these events? How do you think these things happen? Such questions can encourage conversation about non-news topics as well.

• Put news stories in proper context. Showing that certain events are isolated or explaining how one event relates to another helps kids make better sense of what they hear.

• Watch the news with your child to filter stories together.

• Anticipate when guidance will be necessary and avoid shows that aren’t appropriate for your child’s age or level of development.

• If you’re uncomfortable with the content of the news or it’s inappropriate for your child’s age, turn it off.

source:education.com