Category: Literacy

Studies on karas trees and the production of aromatic resin known as gaharu or agarwood, by researchers at universities and local research centres have reduced the issue of agarwood theft in natural forests thus protecting the species from extinction.

Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) Natural Products Division, Herbal Product Development Programme research officer, Dr Abd Majid Jalil said the existence of the best karas trees and consistent production of quality agarwood through research have helped to overcome the issue.

“The high economic value factor, lack of production but high demand and indiscriminate felling of trees have resulted in lack of supply of natural forest resources in almost all countries.

“The large scale illegal felling of the Aquilaria species (karas and chandan trees) has led to the rapid destruction of the species in its natural habitat,” he said in a statement today.

According to him, the species has been listed in Schedule II, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to ensure the survival of the Aquilaria species is not threatened by trade in agarwood products from wild trees in natural forests.

Abd Majid said FRIM and the Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia (JPSM) act as the scientific authority to advise the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change; Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB), Sarawak Forestry Department and Sabah Forestry Department in matters related to the agarwood trade in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, a study by FRIM researchers also found that biological agents are the most economical, safe and effective method in optimising the formation of agarwood in karas trees compared to the mechanical and chemical induced methods.

Researchers have also developed a technique to detect the presence of agarwood through sensor detection, wave frequency and x-ray technology, through differences in sound wave velocity, differences in wood density and significant differences in wood texture patterns.

“This is a very simple approach but it is not worth it if there is no agarwood formation in the felled trees and it will also have an implication on agarwood seekers in the forest, entrepreneurs in the fields and the environment,” he said.

He said through the technology, more karas trees that do not produce agarwood could be saved from being cut down.

In addition, Abd Majid said FRIM has also carried out research and development to determine the quality of agarwood in a consistent manner by using scientific equipment such as the gas chromatography (GC) and electronic nose (E-Nose) instruments.

In this way, the quality of wood and agarwood essential oil are compared and evaluated through a database of the main chemical components of agarwood that has been developed, and the uniqueness of the resulting aroma can be measured using an electronic sensor which is then translated into high or low value grades.

He said the results after using the GC and E-Nose scientific instruments are more consistent than through human experience and expertise.

“As a result of the study we are able to maximise the production of agarwood while maintaining environmental sustainability as well as providing profits to agarwood entrepreneurs,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

The 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) Mid-Term Review (MTR) undertaken by the Unity Government is not a usual approach in assessing the country’s five-year development plan but instead encompasses new policies and strategies to address current challenges.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the 12MP MTR has been realigned with the aspiration and vision of the MADANI Economy, which he presented on July 27, to boost Malaysia’s economy for a ten-year period and promote national development while enhancing the quality of life for the people.

“The nation is at a crossroads, whether to maintain old policies and strategies or to undertake reform. This reform must encompass a framework for improving governance, policy shifts, and introducing new strategies and approaches in line with current demands,” he said.

When tabling the motion on the 12MP MTR at the Dewan Rakyat today, the Prime Minister said that a clear and comprehensive shift is needed by the Unity Government, which he has led since December 2022, to bring Malaysia back on the right track of proper economic growth.

Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said the new approaches and strategies are necessary following political instability and the COVID-19 pandemic which began in early 2020, which led to job losses, a decline in average economic growth and a decrease in foreign investment.

To meet the needs of financing the people’s priority areas, improving management quality, and establishing targeted subsidies to support the basic needs of the population, the government will allocate an additional RM15 billion while fully utilising the RM400 billion allocation under the 12MP, bringing the total to RM415 billion.

Themed “Malaysia MADANI: Sustainable, Prosperous, High-Income”, the 12MP MTR introduces 17 Big Bold measures covering 71 main strategies and initiatives that will serve as the main catalyst in accelerating the efforts to reform the socioeconomic development of the nation in line with the Malaysia MADANI aspiration.

Anwar said that these Big Bold measures commence with eradicating hardcore poverty, addressing fundamental infrastructure and the basic needs of the people, including improving schools and underprivileged clinics, ensuring clean water supply, and advancing the Islamic economy.

“In eradicating hardcore poverty, Insya-Allah we will achieve significant success by the end of this year,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the 12MP MTR comprehensively reviews policies, strategies, and overall objectives, taking into account urban-rural development disparities, existing wealth disparities, growing debt, fiscal constraints, and the gradual economic structural transition.

The country’s macroeconomic achievements and current indicators show that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has recorded a growth of 4.2 per cent; labour market performance has improved, with a higher productivity rate of 3.7 per cent per year for the period 2021-2022; and the unemployment rate has decreased to 3.5 per cent in the second quarter of 2023.

The inflation rate in July 2023 has decreased to two per cent, the lowest in 24 months, while the Malaysian People’s Well-being Index which measures the level of economic and social well-being of the people has increased by 1.3 per cent per year.

Additionally, the average monthly household income has increased to RM8,479 in 2022 from RM7,901 in 2019.

The Prime Minister said there are 12 key affirmations at the core of 12MP MTR, which were structured around three main focuses, namely moving towards a high-income country, building a prosperous society, and strengthening sustainability and governance.

To propel Malaysia into a high-income nation in line with the goal of becoming an economic leader in Asia, Anwar stated that Malaysia aims for economic growth of at least five per cent per year throughout the 12MP period, with a focus on high-value-added industries and making the country a preferred investment destination.

To achieve these goals, emphasis will be placed on high-growth, high-value (HGHV) sectors and industries, including the energy transition-based industry which was implemented through the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), technology and digital-based industries, and enhancing the competitiveness of sectors and industries under the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030.

“The NETR has identified 10 strategic and high-impact flagship projects with an expected investment of RM25 billion, creating 23,000 high-quality job opportunities and reducing 10,000 gigagrams of carbon dioxide equivalent per year,” he said.

Discussing the government’s focus on developing a prosperous society to improve the living standards of the people, the Prime Minister, in a presentation lasting about an hour and a half, stated that five key areas would be priorities in efforts to reduce income disparities.

These priorities include the implementation of various initiatives to eradicate poverty across all ethnicities, such as the Urban Community Economic Empowerment Programme, the Rural Community Welfare Development Scheme, and the Orang Asli Economic Development Programme, as well as special programmes for Bumiputera Sarawak and Anak Negeri Sabah.

Additionally, the government will strengthen the social protection system for the people, including improving cash assistance and the Rahmah programme.

To highlight the potential and improve the well-being of youth, Anwar stated that the National Youth Economic Empowerment Plan will be launched with a focus on enhancing the employability of unemployed youth and those engaged in the informal job sector.

In addition to focusing on economic development and the income of the people, the Prime Minister stated that the government is also emphasising the spiritual well-being of the people through the MADANI Society Empowerment and strengthening healthcare services.

“The growing concern of mental health issues has also become a government priority. Therefore, the government has decided to establish a Mental Health Institute to ensure integrated efforts between the government, the private sector, and civil society organisations in addressing this issue,” he said.

Addressing the availability of future talent, he said that the government will intensify efforts to restructure the labour market, including introducing a progressive wage model, increasing the participation of women in the workforce by 60 per cent, and empowering Persons with Disabilities by improving access to employment, which will be integrated into the MyFutureJobs portal.

In an effort to strengthen the country’s education system, Anwar stated that the Digital Education Policy (DPD) will be launched to produce digitally skilled students to face the Fourth Industrial Revolution era, and that the government will also further strengthen Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum, as well as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

“Key initiatives of the DPD include the implementation of digital education competency enhancement training programmes, curriculum improvements, and the setting up of a digital education specialist team,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said the government will optimise national security control through projects such as upgrading command centres and constructing new operational bases for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

He said the government will also upgrade and construct new Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, and Security Complexes at selected entry points and build new Malaysian Armed Forces security posts along the Indonesia-Sabah/Sarawak borders, and a naval base in Bintulu, Sarawak.

In a bid to enhance the efficiency of public services and public service governance, Anwar said the government is committed to introducing two Big Bold measures namely Governance and Institutional Framework, as well as Corruption-Related Legislation, to restore Malaysia’s image and elevate its status as an honourable and anti-corruption nation.

“The Public Sector Governance Act and Integrity Plan will be introduced as anti-corruption governance guidelines for all entities, both in the public and private sectors. The government also targets Malaysia to be in the top 25 in the global Corruption Perceptions Index within 10 years,” he said.

To strengthen the public service machinery, he said the Special Task Force for Public Sector Reform (STAR) has been set up to help resolve pending matters and expedite the implementation of projects and service delivery to the people.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

Food enterprises should study the market demand carefully together with branding strategies to expand their international reach, experts said.

According to Nguyen Dang Hien, Vice President of the Food and Foodstuff Association of Ho Chi Minh City, most enterprises had not paid adequate attention to developing marketing strategies and increasing brand recognition for international markets, although Vietnam was a major exporter of agroforestry – fishery products.

An estimate by the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade showed that agricultural products exported with brands would have added value 200-300% higher, even 500%.

Thus, it was critical for Vietnamese food enterprises to invest in building processing systems for high-quality agricultural products and increase branding in the international markets.

Hoang Van Viet from the University of Economics HCM City, said that enterprises could consider promoting digital marketing through social networks, YouTube, TikTok, websites and email.

In addition, enterprises should study the demand of the target markets carefully to develop strategic plans for expanding in foreign markets.

Bach Ngoc Hai Yen, Director of Greatlink Maihouse Investment Company, said that to expand in foreign markets, enterprises needed to build and maintain good relationships with customers, which would be the key to increasing competitiveness for Vietnamese food enterprises.

The focus should be on market study to develop appropriate marketing strategies and customer care solutions.

General Director of Cholimex Food Diep Nam Hai said that food companies should pay attention to developing supply chains to ensure the competitiveness of the products in terms of quality and price.

According to Hien, expanding exports was a solution for food companies in the context of low domestic market demand.

He said enterprises should eye potential markets such as China and India and markets in Asia – Pacific regions.

As consumers were increasingly aware of their personal health and environmental sustainability when choosing foods, enterprises should focus on developing products to meet the consumer demands, such as products of plant origin or organic products, he said.

Transition to green production was important, Hien said, adding that green production became an advantage for food enterprises.

Nguyen Ngoc Hoa, President of the HCM City Union of Business Associations, said the association’s survey found that enterprises with green production were having better orders than others in the context of economic difficulty.

Green production was a passport for many enterprises to penetrate and expand in international markets, he stressed.

Vietnamese food products were now present in around 180 countries and territories around the world./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The government will empower women’s roles in the care economy to boost their participation in the labour market during the final phase of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when tabling the 12MP Mid-Term Review (MTR) at the Dewan Rakyat today, said it could effectively tackle the challenges posed by an aging population.

“Commitment from various stakeholders, including the private sector and civil society organisations using a nationwide approach, is crucial to achieve this goal. Continuous efforts are being made to ensure that the female labour force participation rate reaches the target of 60 per cent within 10 years.

“We will improve our efforts to encourage women to remain in or rejoin the workforce by providing essential facilities and support, including childcare services, financial incentives, and flexible working hours,” Anwar said.

The programmes implemented include the MamaCare initiative, affordable childcare centre incentives, the Career Come Back programme, and workplace daycare fee subsidies, he said, adding that the government will prioritise empowering persons with disabilities (PwD) to improve access to employment.

“Details of PwD job seekers will be included on the MyFutureJobs portal, and procedures for hiring PwDs in the civil service will be enhanced to reach one per cent representation,” he stated.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

The strategies and initiatives outlined in the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) Mid-Term Review (MTR) are holistic and focused on the socio-economic development of Malaysians.

Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar said that the implementation of government initiatives encompassed various ministries, and focused on poverty eradication, digitalisation and implementation of a progressive salary model to boost national economic growth and the people’s living standards.

“This shows that the government is serious in implementing progressive salaries… this will benefit both employers and employees alike.

“What workers hope for is to receive fair salaries that comensurate with their work while employers hope for high productivity (that will) maximise their profits,” he said when met at the Parliament lobby after the presentation of the 12MP MTR here today.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said when tabling the 12MP MTR at the Dewan Rakyat today that efforts would be intensified to restructure the labour market and strengthen the education system to prepare existing talent for the future.

He added that the main thrust would be future talent availability will be implemented in relation to wages, foreign worker levies and ongoing skills.

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu expressed hope that the agendas tabled by the Prime Minister, especiall those involving his ministry, would be implemented well to achieve the objectives of the MADANI Economy.

“The most challenging issue is about food and food security, not just in Malaysia, but globally. Indonesia is also facing rice shortage, so this is the current problem we’re facing.

“The involvement of the private sector is important to ensure there’s sufficient rice. There are big agencies involved currently and they can do it on a large scale,” he added.

The prime minister also touched on the national agriculture sector, that would transition to strengthening food security and raising the competitiveness of the agricommodities subsector by implementing smart agricultural activities across all sectors.

Meanwhile, Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Rubiah Wang said Sabah and Sarawak required detailed development planning and implementation to ensure that everyone could enjoy access to education, healthcare and basic amenities properly, as both states seem to be lagging behind.

“… focus in terms of infrastructure development, education and healthcare are things we’ve been waiting for and need in both states.

“We still need much more in terms of education, especially developing dilapidated schools, and improvements to healthcare facilities in Sarawak and Sabah,” she said.

The prime minister also mentioned that the authority for electricity supply supervision would be handed over to state governments and more projects to redevelop dilapidated schools would be implemented, with a regional blood centre to be built in Sabah, while the Public Health Lab and the Food Safety and Quality Lab would be built in Kuching Sarawak to allow easy access to healthcare services in an equitable manner.

Deputy Local Government Development Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir described the RM12 MTR as a brave action taken by the prime minister as he had outlined high and radical targets.

“For instance, we talk about becoming a high-income country, so the prime minister has outlined steps or cores towards that end.

“What’s interesting is that he has not just touched on the economy, but also encompassed the issue of prosperity, and how such things can really benefit the people,” he said.

Akmal Nasrullah, who is also PKR strategy director, said it was everyone’s duty, including government leaders and officials, private agencies, non-governmental organisations and individuals to realise the aspirations outlined by the 12MP MTR.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

Education has been one of the most prominent areas of cooperation between Vietnam and the US, with both sides designing many policies to strengthen bilateral partnership in this field based on the shared view that education is the foundation of national development.

According to the International Cooperation Department under the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), in recent years, the US has actively implemented a number of programmes to support Vietnam in English teaching and education quality enhancing.

In July 2020, the Governments of Vietnam and the US signed an implementing agreement on English teaching under the Peace Corps programme. The programme was officially started in October 2021, aiming to help Vietnamese students develop their English skills to access studying and employment opportunities.

Volunteers of the Peace Corps programme have been sent to rural schools to train local English teachers and improve students’ performance in English language.

According to the MoET, this project is strategically suitable to Vietnam’s priorities. So far, nine volunteers from the programme have been assigned to nine senior high schools in rural districts of Hanoi. More volunteers are scheduled to arrived in the city in October for the 2023-2024 academic year.

On September 21, 2022, the MoET and the US’s Educational Testing Service (ETS) signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in improving English training quality and testing capacity for the educational system in Vietnam.

In a meeting with ETS Vice President Rohit Sharma last month, MoET Minister Nguyen Kim Son suggested some priorities for cooperation in the immediate future, including sending ETS experts to Vietnam to give consultancy and share experience in testing activities, providing documents and information in organising examinations, and creating conditions for Vietnamese experts to receive training courses of ETS. He also underlined Vietnam’s interest in digital transformation in this field.

Besides, universities of Vietnam and the US have enjoyed strong partnership, especially in training and researching.

Currently, about 50 out of more than 400 underway higher education linkage programmes in Vietnam are with US partners, mostly at graduate (655 students) and post-graduate (about 70 students) levels. Those linkage programmes are mainly in science-technology, computer science and economics.

In recent years, the US Government has provided Vietnam with hundreds of undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships through the VEF Foundation, and supported improving English skills through the Fellowship and Fulbright programmes. The US has also provided Vietnam with practical support to strengthen tertiary education capacity through BUILT-IT and FURTHER projects funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

There are currently about 26,000 Vietnamese students studying in the US both as self-funded and scholarship recipients. Meanwhile, in the last five years, an average 10 – 20 students from the US have come to Vietnam to study Vietnamese and Vietnamese studies.

USAID has also provided significant support for Vietnam’s education and training sector, with some 68 million USD in total granted to projects in Vietnam.

In September 2022, the MoET and the USAID signed a memorandum of understanding on providing development aid to enhance the higher education quality in Vietnam, with a total aid of 15.4 million USD starting from 2023.

A number of US-invested educational institutions have been established in Vietnam, with six general education institutions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Binh Duong and a university in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Fullbright University Vietnam (FUV) was established in May 2016 as a 100% foreign-invested higher education institution operating not for profit.

Vietnam has focused on promoting international integration and attracting foreign investment in education in a bid to enhance education quality towards creating a breakthrough in human resources development. Therefore, there is great potential for educational cooperation between Vietnam and the US, contributing to promoting bilateral relations, strengthening the connections between the two peoples and boosting the sustainable development of Vietnam./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The STEAMese Festival 2023 with the theme of igniting creativity and unlocking passion, took place in Hanoi on August 27, attracting the participation of numerous students, parents, teachers, and educational institutions.

The event was organised by the STEAM for Vietnam organization, UNICEF in Vietnam, the US Embassy’s American Center, and Phenikaa University.

Speaking at the event, Nguyen Phuong Thuy, co-founder of STEAM for Vietnam, said the ecosystem of STEAM for Vietnam programmes revolves around a mission of providing modern STEAM education to Vietnamese children aged 6 to 18 through advanced technologies, innovative educational models, and the expertise of teachers.

Kate Bartlett, Cultural Attaché at the US Embassy, affirmed that the US diplomatic mission in Vietnam is committed to supporting the Southeast nation’s efforts in enhancing the quality of higher education and preparing its 21st-century workforce for global integration. Vietnamese youths are dynamic, talented, and ambitious global citizens, and their potential is limitless, she noted.

Participating domestic and international experts, policymakers, and schools joined discussions at the festival to share teaching methods and materials design for STEAM educators.

A series of creative and interactive STEAM activities, such as the Scratch and Robotics, scientific exploration, and robot assembly, were also organised, becoming a big draw to students, parents, and teachers from Hanoi, Lao Cai, Soc Trang, and other provinces and cities./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency