: Saya, Dia dan Kamu - Terengganu
Transcription
: Saya, Dia dan Kamu - Terengganu
Ketegangan Etnik Di Rwanda Terjemahan daripada buku Pada pertengahan tahun 1994 di Wilayah Kibungo timur Rwanda berhampiran sempadan Tanzania, telah berlaku satu pembunuhan besarbesaran terhadap etnik Tutsi oleh puak Hutu. Kelihatan mayat bergelimpangan dengan anggota bercerai daripada badan dan terdapat juga mayat yang tidak ditanam. Apa yang lebih menyedihkan perempuan dirogol sebelum dibunuh. Pembunuhan dilakukan oleh mereka yang mangsa dikenali iaitu jiran tetangga mereka, kawan sekolah dan juga rakan sepejabat. Puak Hutu dilatih untuk membunuh puak Tutsi dan dihebohkan secara terbuka diradio, akhbar dan sebagainya. Puak Hutu yang sederhana dan Tutsi akan dibunuh kerana dianggap sebagai pembelot. Mereka melakukan pembunuhan pada setiap detik. Malahan ada dikalangan mangsa dikenalpasti terlebih dahulu sebelum dibunuh. Pada awal pagi bulan April 1994, militia Hutu telah mengepalai satu latihan awam di luar pejabat kerajaan di Mugonero. Terdapat ramai golongan muda keluar setiap malam untuk mengikuti latihan tersebut dan siapa yang ingkar dianggap musuh. Radio mengumumkan jangan sesiapapun berpindah. Hari berikutnya kelihatan sekumpulan manusia dikepalai oleh ketua masyarakat tempatan dari puak Hutu telah membakar rumahrumah puak Tutsi. Telah menjadi tradisi penduduk Rwanda mereka akan berlindung di gereja apabila berlaku bencana. Puak Tutsi telah berlindung di gereja dan terdapat beribu-ribu puak Tutsi telah di bunuh dan disembelih. Pada 12 April 1994, hospital yang dipenuhi oleh beribu-ribu tahanan telah disekat bekalan air dan tiada sesiapapun dibenarkan meninggalkan hospital. Pada 16 April 1994 sejumlah kenderaan yang dipenuhi tentera telah mengepung dan menyerang hospital dan ditembak dari pelbagai arah. Polis dan penduduk tempatan juga terlibat dalam pembunuhan kejam ini. Kejadian tidak berhenti setakat itu sahaja, militia Hutu datang menggunakan trak dan bas dan menyeksa puak Tutsi dengan memotong sendi-sendi anggota badan dan membiarkan mangsa terseksa. Dengan penguasaan puak Hutu dalam pentadbiran, telah memudahkan kemenangan parti Parmehutu di dalam pilihanraya pertama Rwanda iaitu pada tahun 1960. Pada bulan September 1961 penduduk Rwanda telah mengundi untuk menamatkan sistem monarki Rwanda dan menggantikannya dengan republik dengan parti yang dikuasai oleh puak Hutu mengetuai pentadbiran dan digelar Revolusi Hutu. Dengan ini bermulanya konflik apabila pentadbiran Hutu mulai mendesak dan menyerang puak Tutsi dan meminta agar puak Tutsi meninggalkan kampung halamannya secara aman. Dengan ini bermulanya konflik yang amat dashyat dalam lipatan sejarah Rwanda. Patrons >> Assoc. Prof. Dr. Samad Abdol Nawi | Assoc. Prof. Dr. Baharom Abdul Rahman | Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mazidah Puteh Advisor >> Noor Sharulniza Sau Hamid Chief Editor >> Gopala Krishnan Editors >> Asri Salleh | Raja Mariam Raja Baniamin | Goh Ying Soon Layout & Graphics >>Roziani Mohamad (HEA) BOARD 8 ak tin ade bule EDITORIAL Peristiwa ini berlaku pada dasarnya bukan kerana masalah etnik tetapi lebih kepada perasaan tidak berpuas hati terhadap penguasaan politik dan ekonomi oleh puak Tutsi. Sejarah bermula apabila penjajah Belgium kelihatan lebih cenderung berpihak kepada puak Tutsi untuk terlibat secara langsung dalam bidang politik dan pentadbiran. Puak Hutu tidak dibenarkan langsung untuk terlibat dalam pentadbiran. Belgium melihat bahawa puak Tutsi lebih layak untuk terlibat dalam pentadbiran berbanding puak Hutu. Belgium berterusan menyokong puak Tutsi sehingga tahun 1950an sehinggalah mendapat tekanan daripada Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu untuk turut membenarkan puak Hutu terlibat secara langsung dalam pentadbiran, pendidikan dan ekonomi. Golongan pentadbir daripada puak Tutsi menentang rancangan tersebut dan menyatakan bahawa Belgium patut keluar daripada Rwanda jika berhasrat untuk membenarkan puak Hutu terlibat secara langsung dalam pentadbiran manakala puak Hutu pula menyatakan bahawa jika Belgium ingin keluar dari Rwanda pastikan mereka menguasai pentadbiran terlebih dahulu kerana mereka golongan majoriti. Pentadbiran puak Tutsi yang diketuai oleh Mutara Rudahigwa sejak tahun 1931 meminta supaya semua pihak bertenang. Malangnya Muta Rudahigwa meninggal secara mengejut pada tahun 1959 dan digantikan dengan adiknya yang bernama Kigeri Ndahindurwa yang dilihat sebagai pemimpin konservatif Tutsi. Parti yang dikuasai oleh puak Tutsi iaitu Union Nationale Rwandaise (UNAR) mendapat kekuatan dalam poltik dan pentadbiran di Rwanda. Terdapat juga parti yang dikuasai oleh puak Hutu iaitu Parmehutu. Pada bulan November 1959, terdapat segelintir daripada puak Tutsi membunuh ahli parti daripada puak Hutu dan berita ini mulai tersebar secara meluasnya. Rentetan daripada itu puak Hutu bertindak balas terhadap pegawai-pegawai daripada puak Tutsi dengan cara yang lebih ekstrem. Beratusratus mangsa terkorban dalam kejadian berkenaan. Pihak Belgium mula menggunakan kuasa dengan menggantikan hampir separuh daripada pentadbiran daripada puak Tutsi kepada puak Hutu. 12/ 2012 Oleh; Fatimah Abd Ghani & Norzaidah Ngali Sebelum saya meneruskan coretan ini, ingin saya menyusun sepuluh jari memohon ampun dan maaf seandainya artikel yang ditulis ini bakal mengguriskan hati mana-mana pihak. Namun percayalah, sedikit pun tidak pernah terlintas untuk berbuat demikian. Apa yang ingin dikongsikan hanyalah catatan perjalanan saya sebagai seorang pelatih bagi panduan dan pengajaran buat semua rakan. Seperti kata pepatah, ‘yang baik dijadikan ikutan dan sebaliknya yang buruk itu dijadikan sempadan’ agar masing-masing turut menginsafi bahawa sesungguhnya yang baik itu semuanya datang daripada Allah s.w.t dan yang buruk itu datang daripada diri saya sendiri. Bermula lah kisah kehidupan saya sebagai seorang pelatih atau lebih tepat lagi Pensyarah Latihan Profesional di Kafe Latihan Kreatif di UiTM (Terengganu). Setiap pengakhiran ada permulaan, setiap pertemuan pasti akan ada perpisahan, begitu jua lah dengan situasi saya. Saya dan temanku Zaidah gigih menjalani latihan professional hanya di dalam kampus tercinta dan tidak di tempat lain, bermula pada 1 Mei 2012 yang lalu dan telahpun berjaya ditamatkan pada hujung bulan Oktober 2012. Tidak dapat dinafikan, ada juga kedengaran suara sumbang memperlekehkan keputusan yang dibuat, tetapi tidak kurang juga yang menyokong tindakan saya ini. Apa pun saya yakin setiap yang berlaku, sudah tertulis dan pasti ada hikmahnya yang tersendiri. Bagi saya di manapun kita menjalani latihan praktikal, kita mestilah ikhlas, komited dan memberi yang terbaik bagi menimba sebanyak mungkin pengalaman dan ilmu buat bekalan berharga bagi seseorang yang bergelar pensyarah di Fakulti Pengurusan Hotel dan Pelancongan (FPHP). Pengalaman sebenar di industri sangat berguna kerana saya mampu berkongsi pengalaman yang dimiliki dengan para pelajar kelak. Saya rasa sangat bertuah kerana dapat merasai pengalaman menguruskan Kafe Latihan Kreatif sepeti ianya milik saya sendiri. Pengalaman dan pengajaran semasa menguruskan Kafe Kreatif ini berbeza dengan apa yang dipelajari di dalam buku teks di bilik kuliah. Saya juga sangat bersyukur, saya dan teman se-praktikal saling lengkap-melengkapi, memenuhi kekurangan dan kelebihan yang tersendiri yang membuatkan kami serasi bekerjasama. Tugasan awal saya bermula dengan menyediakan kertas kerja untuk memulakan operasi kafe buat julung kalinya diuruskan oleh pensyarah fakulti sendiri. Saya juga bekerjasama dengan para pelajar latihan industri dari program Diploma Pengurusan Perkhidmatan Makanan yang menjalani latihan industi di Kafe Latihan Kreatif. Perancangan rapi dibuat bagi membolehkan pelanggan berasa selesa dengan urusan jual beli dan perkhidmatan makanan yang disediakan. Sesi pembersihan dan : Saya, Dia dan Kamu menyusun atur peralatan di kafe dibuat secara gotongroyong bersama semua warga tenaga pengajar FPHP yang sudi datang meluangkan masa serta menghulurkan bantuan tulang empat kerat bagi menjayakan sesi gotongroyong ini. Setelah itu, saya, teman se-praktikal Zaidah serta pelajar-pelajar latihan industri mengecat bahagian dalam kafe bagi memberikan suasana baru kepada pelanggan. Ternyata, saya sendiri merasa puas hati dapat mengecat dan melakukannya sendiri walaupun saya seorang pengecat amatur. Hari pertama Kafe Latihan Kreatif beroperasi membuatkan perasaanku bercampur baur antara gementar dan teruja memandangkan sambutan yang diterima amat menggalakkan. Semenjak kafe ini ditutup berikutan pertukaran pengurusan, ramai pelanggan ternanti-nanti pembukaannya semula. Semenjak pembukaan kafe, setiap hari seawal pukul 5.30 pagi saya menjalani rutin yang baru untuk bersiap-siap memulakan tugasan bagi menyediakan menu sarapan pagi, makan tengahari dan juga minum petang. Sepanjang menjalani latihan praktik ini, terlalu banyak pengalaman pahit dan manis yang dilalui, dan di kesempatan ini saya ingin berkongsi tentang ‘Kuasa Senyuman’, ‘Kuasa Testimonial’, serta ‘Kuasa Memuji’ yang hampir saban hari saya hadapi. Bermula dengan ‘Kuasa Senyuman’, senyuman itu sendiri memang mampu menceriakan hari yang suram, perasaan serabut dan kesibukan. Sebagai salah seorang tenaga kerja di kafe, sesibuk dan sepenat manapun kita, senyuman itu sangat penting untuk diukir di bibir. Sekeras manapun hati seseorang, ia mampu dicairkan apabila bibir kita tidak lekang dengan senyuman, berbudi bahasa dan sabar demi melayan karenah pelanggan. Bak kata pepatah daripada seorang pakar motivasi terkenal, Dr. Azizan Osman; “Sekali peniaga senyum, sejuta kali pelanggan terasa bahagia”. Ini dapat dibuktikan melalui pengalaman saya yang sentiasa cuba mengukirkan senyuman sepanjang hari di dalam kesibukan dan kepenatan bekerja seharian. Sesungguhnya senyuman adalah anugerah ajaib yang membawa seribu satu pengertian. Seterusnya, ‘Kuasa Testimonial’ juga mampu menaikkan imej kafe dan menambahkan bilangan pengunjung hari demi hari. Hanya dengan ‘word of mouth’ iaitu pelanggan sedia ada, menyebarkan tentang kewujudan kafe dan kesedapan hidangan menu kepada orang sekeliling juga telah membuatkan mereka tertarik untuk mengunjungi serta menambahkan jualan kafe pada hari tersebut. Promosi secara tidak langsung ini, berjaya mengurangkan kos pengiklanan, malah setiap hari pasti ada pelanggan baru yang ingin mencuba juadah masakan kami. Selain itu, saya juga belajar menyelesaikan sesuatu perkara k mi ak a tin de Oleh; Ilyas Bin Abdullah & Nurul Saadatun Nadiah Bt Mohd Ngah 1 bule “We Wish To Inform That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Family” k mi As unsold goods accumulate, firms lay off workers and cut back output. So effective demand establishes the economy’s actual output which some cases is less than level of output that would exist if there were full employment.11 Konklusinya, pengalaman memang mampu mematangkan diri seseorang untuk menjadi individu yang lebih baik dan bertanggungjawab. Dengan kuasa senyuman, testimonial dan memuji juga mampu untuk lebih memotivasikan sesiapa sahaja yang mempunyai perniagaan atau menguruskan perniagaan sendiri samada sebagai pemilik mahupun seorang pekerja. Dengan izin Allah s.w.t, segalanya mungkin untuk mendapat hasil yang terbaik seperti yang kita impikan. Seorang penulis blog Cik Hanis Zalikha melalui ‘tagline’nya menyatakan bahawa ‘you can’t’ make everybody like you, as you don’t even like everybody’. Oleh itu, bersederhanalah dalam tindak tanduk kita serta sentiasa bersyukur dengan segalanya dan jangan melampui batas dalam segala hal. Akhir kalam, ketenangan dan kebahagiaan hidup akan diperolehi sekiranya kita sentiasa bersyukur dengan apa sahaja nikmat yang Allah s.w.t kurniakan. Wallahualam. 11. Brue, S.L (1994). The Evolution of Economic Thought (5th edition). Inilah kisah kami, Fatimah Abd Ghani dan Norzaidah Ngali Now Everybody Can Smile... by; Wan Zuhaila Wan Abdul Rahman How can you smile when you feel like you can’t smile? Whether you are feeling too sad, depressed to look happy, or truly cannot smile due to a physical problem, you can still show others your glowing personality. To communicate is very easy whether you say it verbally or not. Smiling is very simple as it requires not even one single word. It is a first step which acts as a secret key towards a healthy relationship. Communicate your smile a different way so that no matter who you are interacting with, they know how happy you feel. Steps to : Force that smile on your face, no matter how negative a mood you are in. Even if you feel displeasure towards the person that you are looking at, try to look pleasant. You don’t have to show all your teeth. A simple smile will do. Smiling also could make us feel happier. It is not a cure for all overwhelming grief, but it could reduce a small dose of sadness and depression experienced. Project a smile through body language, such as stand up straight, holds your head up, do not frown, and smile with your eyes. You can still smile even you are physically cannot do it due to an injury, birth defect, or mouth guard. You also need to learn certain facial management techniques that enable you to communicate your feelings to achieve the effect you want. 2 ak tin ade bule Wear clothes that smile. Color has many meanings. Add to your positive body language the color of happiness. Yellow is the color for dependability. A soft yellow is nonthreatening and friendly. From the yellow family, warm colors are welcoming. Gold, browns, golden-oranges, are all dependable colors of friendship. However, blues are passive and calm colors. In the visual language, soft blues project a serenity and quiet peacefulness. Avoid reds that are too aggressive and threatening. This could make people stay away from you. 9. Walton, P & Gamble, A (1976). Capitalism In Crisis: Inflation and the State. The Macmillan Press Ltd: London. 10.Harcout, G.C (1995). Capitalism, Socialism and Post Keynesianism. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited: United Kingdom. The Dryden Press: Pacific Lutheran University. Instability in the Economy According to Keynesians, the economy is given to recurring booms and bust because the level of planned investment spending is erratic. Changes in investment plans cause national income and output to change by amounts greater than the initial changes in investment. Equilibrium level of investment and saving that exist after all adjustments have occurred are achieved through changes in national income, as opposed to changes in the rate of interest. Investment spending is determined jointly by rate of interest and the marginal efficiency of capital, or the expected rate of return above the cost on new investments. The interest rate depends on people’s preferences for liquidity and the quantity of money. The marginal efficiency of capital depends on the expectation of future profits and the supply price of capital. The expected rate of profit from new investment is unstable and therefore one of the most important causes of business fluctuations. Wage and Price Rigidity Keynesians pointed out that wages tend to be inflexible downward because of such institutional factors as union contracts, minimum wage law and implicit contracts. In period of slack aggregate demand for goods and services, firms respond to lower sales by reducing production and discharging or laying off workers and not by insisting on wage cuts. Prices also spirals downward, decline in effective demand initially causes reductions in output and employment rather than declines in the price level. Deflation occurs only under conditions of extremely severe depression. Active fiscal and Monetary Policy Keynesian economists advocated that the government should intervene actively through appropriate fiscal and monetary policies to promote full employment, price stability and economic growth. To combat recession or depression government should either increase its spending or reduce taxes, the latter increasing private consumption spending. It also should increase the money supply to drive down interest rates in the hopes that this will bolster investment spending. To counter inflation caused by excessive aggregate expenditure, governments should either reduce its own spending, increase taxes to reduce private consumption spending or reduce the money supply to raise interest rates which will dampen excessive investment spending. 12 12. ibid. Conclusion Stimulation of economic growth is generally necessary across the countries that face the economic recession. In Malaysia, the core piece of the stimulation package involves direct government investment in community infrastructure and road and support of small businesses. Another way is tax cut in general, lower tax and higher transfers to households. Households will be able to maintain consumption if taxes are lowered. Lower taxes and higher transfers to the corporate sector is the best solution towards stimulating economic growth. Credit crunch investments will be strongly affected by the liquidity of enterprises because many corporate sectors are heavy borrowers. All corporations should be allowed to postpone payment of corporate income taxes for one to two years. Postponing the payment of corporate income tax helps enterprises to make profit. References • Belke, A (2009). Fiscal Stimulus Package And Uncertainty In Times Of Crisis: Economic policy for open economies. University of Duisburg: Germany. • Brue, S.L (1994). The Evolution of Economic Thought (5th edition). The Dryden Press: Pacific Lutheran University. • Department of Statistics, Malaysia and Bank Negara Malaysia. • Gramlich, E.M (1979). Stimulating the Macro Economy through State and Local Governments: The American Economic Review (vol. 69, no. 2, pg. 180-185). American Economic Association. • Harcout, G.C (1995). Capitalism, Socialism and Post Keynesianism. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited: United Kingdom. • Khor, M (2005). The Malaysian Experienced in Financial Economic Crisis Management An Alternative to the IMF Style. Third World Network: Penang, Malaysia. • Mohd Najib Tun Abd. Razak (2009). In Introducing the Supplementary Supply (2009) Bill 2009. Parliament of Malaysia. • Ross, J.P & Calkins, S.E (1979). The Economic Stimulus Package at Mid-Stream: Role of State and Local Governments: Publius- The State of American Federalism (vol. 9, no. 1, pg. 45-65). Oxford University Press. • Walton, P & Gamble, A (1976). Capitalism In Crisis: Inflation and the State. The Macmillan Press Ltd: London. • 2009 Second Stimulus Package Tax Commentary (2009). The Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants: Kuala Lumpur. k mi ak a tin de Akhirnya ‘Kuasa Memuji’ juga adalah antara yang dapat saya rasai sepanjang saya menguruskan kafe ini. Pujian memang mampu menaikkan semangat seseorang sewaktu bekerja. Ini dapat dirasai sendiri setiap kali ada pelanggan yang memuji hidangan, saya akan rasa sangat teruja dan lebih bersemangat untuk bekerja dan menghasilkan hidangan yang lebih baik. Melalui pujian yang ikhlas daripada pelanggan juga turut membuat diri rasa sangat dihargai dan segala kepenatan terasa hilang saat mendengar pujian dari pelanggan. Ianya mungkin dianggap sesuatu yang remeh bagi sesetengah orang, namun bagi sesetengah orang lain ianya sangat bermakna. Seronok tak kena puji? Tentu rasa seronok kan. Sudah tentu yang menerima pujian tu tersenyum lebar, hati berbunga sewaktu menerima pujian, rasa terbang segala penat lelah dibawa angin lalu. Itulah kuasa memuji atau ‘The Power of Praise’. Saya memetik kata-kata seorang pakar mata dan inspirasi tersohor tanahair, Prof Dr Muhaya Muhamad, beliau pernah menyatakan, kalau kita selalu memberi pujian, ia bukan sahaja mampu merangsang minda kita supaya berfikiran positif bahkan ia juga merangsang orang yang menerima pujian itu untuk membuat atau menghasilkan sesuatu yang lebih bagus secara tidak langsung, kita mampu mengubah seseorang ke arah kebaikan. Hasilnya, jika kita berpandangan pada semua orang dengan mata hati kita yang positif, maka orang juga akan berpandangan seumpama itu terhadap kita. Dengan erti kata lain ‘what you give, you will get back’. 7 bule itu secepat mungkin, memandangkan tindakan segera akan membuahkan keputusan yang cepat. Ini apabila sesuatu maklum balas berkenaan servis atau menu yang disediakan tidak memuaskan mana-mana pelanggan, saya segera mengambil tindakan untuk mengelakkan perkara yang sama tidak berulang lagi. Lantas, segala komen, kritikan dan pandangan pelanggan adalah lebih selesa ditujukan terus kepada pihak kami, bukan untuk dibawa balik dan memberi komen di luar pengetahuan. Sudah semestinya kami tidak akan tahu di mana kesilapan yang harus diperbetulkan. Berterus-terang dengan cara yang berhemah adalah jalan yang terbaik bagi menyelesaikan segala permasalahan. k mi Tips to Smiling is a reciprocal activity. When you smile, others will smile to you back. The more people smile back at you, the more you will want to smile and feel safe. After all, you'll realize that you are no longer faking that smile. For example, in a classic study, when a smiling face was presented looking at a glum face, the smiling face was judged to be vicious and taunting. But when the same smiling face was presented looking at a frowning face, it was judged peaceful and friendly (Clide, 1956). Malaysia Economic Growth 2010 Annual Report 2009 Gross Domestic Product by Kind of Economic Activity at Constant 2000 Prices. 8 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009p Do not expect someone will smile to you first. You need to initiate the smile. Sometimes you need to start the ball rolling to change the mood from sad to happy. A simple smile can change a lot. In general, not surprisingly, people who smile are judged to be more approachable than people who don’t smile or people who pretend to smile (Gladstone & Parker, 2002; Woodzicka & LaFrance, 2005; Kluger, 2005). 2010f RM Million Agriculture Mining and Quarrying Manufacturing Construction Services 35,835 42,472 37,701 42,030 38,224 42,881 39,769 42,550 39,929 40,926 41,175 41,933 137,940 14,685 230,043 147,154 14,639 247,099 151,789 15,332 270,903 153,744 15,657 290,538 139,448 16,548 297,995 148,455 17,157 312,565 Less: Undistributed FISIM 1 17,742 18,385 19,730 20,786 22,270 23,728 6,017 5,287 5,521 6,839 6,642 5,824 449,250 475,526 504,919 528,311 519,218 543,380 Plus:Import duties GDP at purchasers’ prices 2 1 2 p f Financial intermediation services indirectly measured Numbers may not necessarily add up due to rounding Preliminary Forecast The table above, reveals that the economic stimulus package in Malaysia seems to be successful. It can be proved by the noticeable increase in manufacturing, construction and services. Compared to 2009, the manufacturing income rose from RM 139,448 million to RM 148,455 million in 2010. Construction and services also showed an increase compared to 2009. Investment in schools, housing and infrastructure seems to be able to stimulate the economic growth. In Malaysia, both smaller capital projects and the larger projects can support the economic growth. Thus the low and middle income group in Malaysia will have less burden and it is possible to increase the spending and encourage the demand for the goods and services. Currently the investment sentiment in the housing sector is weak. To stimulate the housing sector the Malaysia government proposed that house buyers be given tax relief on interest paid on housing loans. So the demand for houses will go up. Buoyancy in the housing sector can create job opportunities and decrease the unemployment rate. Keynes and Keynesian Theory 6 ak tin ade bule Keynes was mostly responsible for providing light to the intellectual crisis plaguing ailing economies but the economic crisis proved more stubborn.9 Keynes ideas were given added impetus by the great depression of the 1930s. After the great depression began in early 1930s, many economists in the United States advocated policies 7. ibid 8. Department of Statistics, Malaysia and Bank Negara Malaysia that later would be called Keynesian. It is interesting to note that these policies were presented before the publication of Keynes’s The General Theory. 10 Major Principals of the Keynesian Theory The major characteristics and principals of Keynesian economics are as below: Macroeconomic emphasis Advocates Keynes concerned themselves with the determinants of the total or aggregate amount of consumption, saving, income, output and employment. They were less interested for example in how an individual firm decides on its profit maximizing level of employment than in the relationship between total spending in the economy and the aggregate of such employment decisions. Demand Orientation Keynesian economists stressed more on the importance of effective demand as the intermediate determinant of national income, output and employment. Aggregate expenditures, said these economists, consists of the sum of consumption, investment, government and net export spending. Firms collectively produce a level of real output that they expect to sell. But sometimes aggregate expenditure is insufficient to buy all the output produced. : Think of something happy. Focus on it until whatever is bothering you is in the background. This will help maintain your smile until it becomes a genuine expression. Genuine expression enables you to get more energy and stay healthy. Research has found that it is easier to smile than to frown. A smile uses 17 muscles, but a frown uses 43 muscles. So please start to smile. It does not cost any single cent. Clean yourself up, brush your hair, put on something good without holes or stains. A positive self image can be jump started with a fresh look. A smile is sure to follow and accepted. Women perceive men who are smiled at by other women as being more attractive than men who are not smiled at. But men perhaps being more competitive perceive men whom women smile at as being less attractive than men who are not smiled at (Jones, DeBruine, Little, Burriss, & Feinberg, 2007). Warnings: 1 Aware of your nonverbal communications, to avoid sending negative signals to others. Avoid slouching and clothes that are depressing in form and color. Remember to smile with your whole being and it will be easier to paste one on your face. You need to smile from your heart, which involves of other parts of your body and they need to be synchronized at one time. 2 Avoid hanging around negative people who spend their time talking everything down and criticizing everyone. Sometimes a change of environment helps relieve the stress that is keeping the smile away. Once you smile, do not expect people will smile at you back. This will make you feel frustrated. However, it is easier and happier to smile if someone is smiling back at you. 3 4 Try not to focus on the problem that is making it hard for you to smile. It is because problems will block your sincere smile. Once you smile, you need to think of something joyful, happy, pleasure, and successful. If you are emotionally distressed, forcing a smile can be counterproductive. The denial of negative emotions will build up in the long run and confuse people who can give support. Smiling is not likely to replace your sadness with happiness. It seems that your smile can influence some feelings, but not all (Burgoon & Bacue, 2003). Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Your smile for your brother is charity.” “Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” ― Mother Teresa 1. Barbara & David, P.M. (2007, July 21). “Happiness Is Only Grin Deep.” Retrieved from http://www.snopes. com/science/smile 2. Joseph De Vito, The Interpersonal Communication Book, 12th ed. New York, USA, Longman, 2009. 3. Paddock, C. PhD. (2012, August 1). "Smiling Reduces Stress And Helps The Heart." Medical News Today. Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248433.php. 4. Walters, J. “7 Good Reasons To Smile” Retrieved from http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness k mi ak a tin de c) Attracting High-Net-Worth and Skilled Individuals The Government will introduce a new program where permanent resident status would be considered for high-net-worth individuals bringing more than US$2 million for investments or savings in Malaysia. In addition, highly skilled foreign professionals may also be considered for permanent resident status. Learn the art of communication through other gestures. Every color, shape, and form has a psychological meaning that speaks to everyone and every creature on an unconscious level. Smile also could be more pleasure if it was given at the right time, followed with appropriate touch. Learn the meanings of subliminal communication, and you can smile without even moving a lip. 3 bule constitute a small proportion of the project investment cost. The assistance is intended to act as a tipping point, whereby the assistance is to enable a marginally non-viable project to become viable and thirdly the projects to be implemented must be in strategic sectors, such as education, health and tourism which have high spillover effects to create sustainable job opportunities and enhance the nation’s competitiveness.7 k mi History of Economic Stimulus Package Since the depression of 1930s, the global economy especially in the United States once again declined from the fourth quarter of 1973 to the first quarter of 1975. During that period the GNP declined by 6 percent from about USD 1.24 trillion to about USD1.17 trillion. Obviously this economic crisis made the unemployment rate increase from 4.8 percent to 8.7 percent by the second quarter of 1975. The planning to stimulate the economy was taken by the government of the United States. This plan functions to coordinate state and local budget related to actions with federal government efforts to stimulate economic recovery by establishing a system of emergency support grants to state and local governments. The state and local governments need the additional financial assistance from federal to face the challenge of inflation and severe recession. During the depression, the major problem led to the economic decline and high unemployment.1 This problem causes the economy towards decline because the countercyclical effects of the economic measures will completely collapse in order to boost the economic growth. To boost the economic growth, the US government has launched the program to reduce unemployment as a part of a major anti recession campaign. On the 13rd of February 1979, the first anti recession legislation enacted was launched by President Ford. This program functions to create new jobs for the public. During the recession, the unemployment rate is over 15 percent in the construction industry. Because of the pressure from state and local government officials the American Congress passed a new and less expensive version of the anti recession legislation. To enhance the availability of jobs, the federal government proposed the program in order to stimulate the economic growth. During the ending period of September, 1977 a new program was created by the federal government. The program was called Local Public Works Program. The allocation for this program is over US 2 billion. The allocation of this program functions as a grant to state and local governments to provide employment opportunities especially in high unemployment areas. The plan was also designed to support and sustain jobs. The core piece of the package is direct government investment into community infrastructure and road building and support for small business and the prime sector in construction such as the steel factories. All this are to stimulate the national economy. 1. Gramlich, E.M (1979). Stimulating the Macro Economy through State and Local Governments: The American Economic Review (vol. 69, no. 2, pg. 180-185). American Economic Association. 4 ak tin ade bule From the 1st July 1976, the American government launched the anti recession fiscal assistance allocating over US 1.25 billion to help state and local government maintain services, avert lays offs of public employees and to avoid tax increases. The program ending on September 1977. Allocations to state and local government are based on the general revenue sharing formula times the relative unemployment rate for the jurisdiction. To stimulate the economic growth, the US government allocated the funds during the fiscal years 1977 and 1978. In this allocation, half of the amount went to the 48 largest cities. The 48 largest cities received more than 23 percent of the total Comprehensive Employment Training Act (CETA) allocations. The New York City received about US 836 million and US 6 million was received by Tulsa. The largest of per capita in this economic stimulus package program was received by Alaska, amount about US 211.74.2 In 1997 several East Asian countries began to experience serious financial problems. In Malaysia, the ringgit came under speculative attack and also declined significantly. Many local enterprises closed down, and many thousands of jobs were lost. The rates of unemployment and poverty rose significantly. The deteriorating condition of the real economy in turn adversely affected the confidence of investors.3 The financial crisis once again happened in 2007/2008 and spread widely and become a crisis of the real economy not only in the Asia but also spread the in Euro member countries like Ireland and Germany. Since the sharp deterioration of economy across the world, Australia which had not been hit as other countries had took the early steps with a stimulus package worth US 10.5 billion in 2008 to strengthen demand.4 The Malaysian economy experienced the full impact of the global downturn in 2009. In response, several policy measures were put in place with a primary focus on supporting domestic demand as well as mitigating the impact of the global slowdown on the affected segments of the economy. These included two economic stimulus packages of RM67 billion, amounting to almost 10 percent of the GDP, aimed at supporting private sector demand, creating employment and training opportunities, easing the burden of the affected sectors as well as building long-term capacity of the economy. On 10 March 2009, Malaysia Prime Minister unveiled the Stimulus Package 2009 with an allocation of RM60 billion, of which RM15 billion was for fiscal injection, RM25 billion for Guarantee Funds, RM10 billion for equity investments, RM7 billion for private finance initiative and off-budget projects, and RM3 billion for tax incentives. The Stimulus Package of 2009 comprised the four thrusts which were implemented over two years for 2009 and 2010. 5 2 . Ross, J.P & Calkins, S.E (1979). The Economic Stimulus Package at Mid-Stream: Role of State and Local Governments: Publius- The State of American Federalism (vol. 9, no. 1, pg. 45-65). Oxford University Press. 3 . Khor, M (2005). The Malaysian Experienced in Financial Economic Crisis Management An Alternative to the IMF Style. Third World Network: Penang, Malaysia. 4. Belke, A (2009). Fiscal Stimulus Package And Uncertainty In Times Of Crisis: Economic policy for open economies. University of Duisburg: Germany. 5. 2009 Second Stimulus Package Tax Commentary (2009). The Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants: Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia: Stimulus Packages in Mitigating the Impact of Global Slowdown 2009 First Thrust: Reducing unemployment and increasing employment opportunities. In order to reduce unemployment the government allocated RM 10,000 per student to encourage Malaysians to pursue Masters or PhD. The Malaysia Government also implemented training programs such as Graduate Employability Scheme (GEMs) through various Government agencies, including government linked companies and the private sector. Almost 63,000 staff was recruited by the 6. Mohd Najib Tun Abd. Razak (2009). In Introducing the Supplementary Supply (2009) Bill 2009. Parliament of Malaysia. Second Thrust: Easing the burden of the Citizen a) Increasing Home Ownership Malaysian government launched the stimulus economic packages to encourage economic growth. In this stimulus package the government increased home ownership. In this Stimulus Package, a total of RM200 million was allocated to build 6,500 units of houses for vulnerable citizens by National Housing Company. The prevailing investment sentiment in housing sector was weak, given that both the developer and buyers appeared to be adopting a cautious attitude to build and to own houses. Therefore to stimulate the housing sector, the government proposed that house buyers be given tax relief on interest paid on housing loans up to RM 10,000 a year to 3 years. It was a practical solution made by the government. b) Reducing Cost of Doing Business The Malaysian Government also improved the public infrastructure. Apart from building capacity for the future, these efforts also promoted greater activities in the construction sector and stimulated domestic demand. Reducing cost of doing business was another way taken by the government and reducing the levy payment rate for all employers for a period of two years. From that the employers will save millions of Ringgit in business cost. Profit can encourage the production level. It can give more income to the government later with tax revenue. c) Welfare of Retrenched Workers The Government proposed that employers who employ retrenched workers be given double tax deduction on the amount of remuneration paid. The amount of remuneration eligible for this deduction shall not exceed RM10,000 per month and is limited to 9 up to 12 months remuneration per employee. This incentive applied to workers employed from 10 March 2009 to 31 December 2010. Third Thrust: Assisting the private sector The automotive sector is among the major industries with potential for further development. The industry has produced many vendors, including original equipment manufacturers and has generated many job opportunities. In the then economic situation, the sales performance in the automotive industry was not encouraging and many companies in the automotive supply chain are faced difficulties. These companies have to be assisted to enable them to continue operations, despite facing low demand and rising costs. For this, the Government provided an additional allocation of RM200 million to the Automotive Development Fund to continue supporting the development of the automotive industry and vendors. In addition, as a joint effort between the Government and the private sector, the Government assisted in the auto scrapping scheme for PROTON and PERODUA. Under the scheme, a discount of RM5,000 will be given to car owners, who trade in their cars, which are at least 10 years old, for the purchase of new PROTON or PERODUA cars. The Government will finance part of the discount borne by PROTON or PERODUA. This scheme intended to stimulate car sales. Fourth Thrust: Building capacity for the future. Off Budget Projects were proposed by the government. Off Budget Projects refers to the budget authority, outlays, and receipts of certain Federal entities that have been excluded from budget totals under provisions of law. Most of the offbudget amount is from the Social Security trust fund, with a minor amount from Postal Service revenues. a) Improving the Public Infrastructure The Government also identified investment projects worth RM5 billion that are to be implemented on off-budget basis. Among the projects in this category were LCCT at KLIA and the expansion of Penang Airport at an estimated cost of RM2 billion and RM250 million. The low cost concept for airlines travel most popular in Malaysia are such as Air Asia and Fire Fly. This will be an opportunity to passengers to uses the services at low prices. The LCCT project at KLIA can absorb some of the airlines operation at KLIA. We have new airlines company such as Jetstar that started on 1 July 2009 from Singapore to LCCT KLIA. This Off Budget Project will stimulate the economic growth because it will attract more foreign tourists and also the investors using the LCCT KLIA. A 50 percent rebate on landing charges will be given for two years effective April 1, 2009 to all airlines that operate in Malaysia. The other Off Budget Project is improving the telecommunication infrastructure. This project is important to make sure that our country can compete with other developed countries. We also can promote our country using internet to other countries. We also can help by acting as catalyst to economic growth. This projects provides about 300,000 premises especially in Lembah Klang and industrial sites such as Bayan Baru, Senai and Kulim. Thus unemployment can be reduced. Nowadays with e-government and K-economy the public can surf the internet to get more information in a faster and easier manner. Electronic procurement will expanded through “e-perolehan” to enhance transparency in the management of government procurement. Sky bridges and covered walkways in the Golden Triangle, Kuala Lumpur is one of the Off Budget Projects. The Government has spent about RM100 million on it. The government realized that the living cost has increased including transportation cost. So the project was advantageous to the public. Before that government has built infrastructure such as LRT, PUTRA imrpoved public transport. It will help the public to avoid traffic jams. As we know Kuala Lumpur is the busiest city. In this stimulus package government will also provide the Sky bridges and covered walkways in the Golden Triangle to ensure that the traffic flows smoothly. It show government concern about public needs. This project will give advantages for an estimated 1 million people in Kuala Lumpur. b) Private Finance Initiative (PFI) To further boost private investment activities, the Government assisted in the implementation of projects through PFI and public-private partnerships by providing funds amounting to RM2 billion. Private companies were invited to bid for the funds. PFI projects to be implemented must have the following characteristics. First the private sector should implement, finance and assume project risks. The project’s revenue must be generated principally from the private sector, and not from Government sources. Secondly Government financial assistance will only k mi ak a tin de ILYAS BIN ABDULLAH | NURUL SAADATUN NADIAH MOHD NGAH | AILEEN FARIDA BINTI MOHD ADAM Government to fill vacancies and serve as contract officers in various Government agencies. 6 5 bule ASSESSMENT OF THE SUCCESS OF THE MALAYSIAN FISCAL STIMULUS PACKAGE IN RESPONSE TO THE ECONOMIC SLOW DOWN OF 2009 k mi