Peer Pressure: Towards Positive or Negative?
According to Encarta Dictionary, the meaning of peer can also best describe as friend, partner or associate. While the word ‘pressure’ gives the meaning as applying of a firm regular weight or force against somebody or something.
When the words ‘peer’ and ‘pressure’ are combined together, it gives the meaning as by using the force of friendship, it has the power to influence someone to do something as what other friends are doing, whether it’s right or wrong.
German-born American psychoanalyst Erik Erikson proposed a theory of human development that stressed the interaction between psychological and social forces. This theory showed strong evidence that each human exerts social force towards another person whether consciously or unconsciously.
Peer pressure does not only affect the women, but also to the men. For instance, a person who is afraid to commit a crime would do it if he was being encouraged by his friends.
A statistic conducted on students at Henry Gurney School by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Firdaus Ahmad Azzam, a Mass Communication lecturer in International Islamic University Malaysia, showed 80 percent of its member committed crimes because of following their friend’s.
As a matter of fact, the Henry Gurney School is a school that provides education like any other school in Malaysia, however the students of that school are people who previously have committed crime.
Nevertheless, peer pressure also contributes to something good. For example, Fraternities and Sororities, associations, mainly of college or university students and alumni, are established to further the social, academic, professional, or humanitarian interests of members.
Social fraternities and sororities contribute to the social development of members through organized social events and service projects for the public.
As a conclusion, one needs to have a strong faith and must know to differentiate what is right and wrong. If he knows what is good for him, based on religious teachings, he should follow them and do what is right.
Add comment August 29, 2007
Point to Ponder in Selecting the Leader
In Malaysia, 70 percent of the women are studying in higher education institutions while the balance belongs to the men. Due to this situation, more women will be appointed to hold important positions in society.
This situation does not only happen in Malaysia, but also through out the world and this issue always been a hot topic to be discussed. The issue is also a crucial topic and it is raised again and again by the female group.
From the Islamic perspective, the Hadith mentioned that women have nine lusts with one aql’ (cleverness) while the men have been gifted by the God to have nine aql’ and one lust.
In the Quran (38:26), it mentions a khalifah (leader) should be wise in making a decision and not based on lust. Therefore, Islam does not support the idea of having women to be leaders in any institutions because the women who have nine lusts also tend to follow their emotion, rather than using their aql’.
I’m not being too biased towards the men on this issue although I’m also a man, but history proves most women who became rulers fall one after another.
Cleopatra who turned to be the queen of Egypt at the age of eighteen after the death of her father, was said to perform suicide by letting an asp to bite her because she received news telling her second husband, Mark Anthony from Roman Empire died. And her reign was left without any ruler which then transformed into the Roman province.
In conclusion, whether he or she is the leader in any institution he/ she should let the emotion aside and rule the followers accordingly to Islamic teachings and principles.
Besides, the followers should also be wise and always refer to the Quran as the primary source in choosing the leader because the leader would be the representative of the people.
At the same time, the leader acts as a ruler. The leader is also responsible; whether to bring peace and prosperity to the followers, or drag his people towards disaster. Wallahualam..
2 comments August 18, 2007
Why Boys Are Lagging Behind Girls: A Summary
Recently, the number of boys that pursue their studies at the higher education institutions in Malaysia is lesser compared to the girls. Approximately, 70 percent of the students study in public higher education institutions is girls.
Even in the job market, the women can do the same job as men do everyday, such as some women who hold the title of chief executive officer in a company, police force and others. Based on research, 50 percent of women are working.
The question that can be raised here is why the men seem to be left behind compared to the girls? (more…)
2 comments August 17, 2007
Hostel theft angers student
Malay Mail 10 August 2007
MAMED, of Gombak, is angry at the spate of thefts at his hostel at International Islamic University Malaysia.
“At the ‘Ali’ campus where I stay, the biggest problem is theft of property from students’ rooms,” he says.
MAMED says in March, his computer was stolen from his room. This was followed by the loss of another computer in July.
Between those incidents, his cell phone was also stolen from the room.
“The strange thing was that my computer was secured to the table and my wardrobe was locked. Without tools, no one would have been able to open the locks,” he says.
MAMED claims that the locks were broken by a cutter, usually used by the college’s workers to open the wardrobes of students who have lost their keys.
“I’m not the only victim. Just about all the students from this campus have complained about missing belongings such as cell phones, digital cameras, personal computers, laptops, watches, USB drives and others,” he says.
He says IIUM’s rules enable staff from the campus office to enter the students’ rooms without informing them
This, he claims, could open the possibility to maintenance workers and technicians entering the rooms and making off with the items.
MAMED claims that there was an incident where his friend lost an expensive watch from his room. However, he later noticed that the lock to his door had been changed.
Suspecting that it was the work of the office workers, he threatened to report the matter to the campus authorities and only then had his watch returned.
“I have yet to see any positive action taken by IIUM to prevent such cases. This should not be happening at such a prestigious institution,” he says.
IIUM assistant director of public relations Shahrizad Shahidul Haj says they will investigate this problem.
“We will turn to the security department to help monitor and control the problem.
“We are certainly not taking the problem lying down. We have procedures and policies to follow; it won’t do to simply blame other parties (office and maintenance workers) without investigating first,” she says.
1 comment August 15, 2007
BMW Shorties Screening (1)
Ten Short Films Shaken the Campus
The history of short film started in North America in 1910. During that moment, the main subject of the short film was comedy. The big film companies already have their own unit that has the responsibility of developing and creating the short film.
The foreign short film industry expands its wings in the early 80s and it came to Malaysia in the year of 1990. With the help of today’s technology, short film is easy to watch and being spread throughout the Internet.
Realizing the strength of short film as a moderator to convey a message to the people, Mahallah Ali Representative Committee (MRC Ali), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) together with IIUM Journalism Club, in collaboration with BMW Group (Malaysia) organized BMW Sorties Screening at the Main Auditorium, IIUM.
With the theme of “Mobility Towards World Class Creativity, ten short films were shown and followed with a discussion with the short film directors. Among the directors that came to the program were Melissa Mohd Alias, Ghazali Bunari, Sasitharan anak lelaki Rajoo dan Muhammad Faiz Bin Ramli.
During the two nights program, the audiences were exposed to Malaysian perspective with the approach of Malaysian who come from various races. Voice, face and the local thinking were visualized clearly in the message inside of the short film.
Ten films that were shown that nights, which also the BMW Shorties finalists were A Lonely Man, J’ai Pas Sommeil, Kongsi Dalam Gelap, K-Hole, Kelapa, Can You Hear Me, Singgam, We Are Lion My Brothers, Jemi Anak Pok dan Kiri.
IIUM made a huge impact to other universities in Malaysia by conducting this type of program. As a matter of fact, IIUM never had any big record in film and video education fields but it has taken an iniative in organizing this big program. Besides, BMW Shorties Screening is the first public screening in Malaysia and IIUM became the first university that supports BMW Group in promoting short films.
BMW Shorties is a short film competition being held in this country. RM50,000 and assistance of short film production have attracted 74 contestants to join.
The judges for this competition are the famous director Yasmin Ahmad, winner of Cannes Award and also a director, Paul Loosley, film editor Affandi Jamaludin, director of experimentation film James Lee, academic lecturer Gregory Wee, a writer, a film director and a photographer Danny Lim and Vijayaratnam Tharumartnam.
Vijayaratnam who is also the BMW Media and Corporate Affairs Manager said “The number of audience who came tonight gave a positive message to the short film industry. The competition that would be organised every year is a community service to the people in making Malaysia to be known through out the world in this industry.”
The iniative of bringing the BMW Shorties into IIUM was the idea of four youngsters who followed the competition progress from the Internet. It all started by watching it from the Internet, Mohd Nizam Ahamad, Wan Muhammad Haeqal W. Husin, Syarafuddin Sulaiman and Zamri Mohamad embarked the communication with BMW Group and the effort lasted since four months ago and that caused the idea of bringing up the shories programme into reality.
According to the ex- officio of the program who is also part- timer at the Rector’s Office, Zamri Mohamad mentioned “Although this is a student’s program, it gives an impact to the university as a whole. The success of this program provides a chance for IIUM to be part of short film industry if a long- term planning were established with the BMW Group. This is cooperation between industry and education institution.”
While Syarafuddin Sulaiman, the director of BMW Shorties Screening said “It is not only a film screening for entertainment, but the ten finalists served us with films that not only require us to think but also to see the reality from the director’s eye. An open discussion in the occasion is where the exchanging idea and interaction between the short film directors and audience took place.”
The writer and co producer Kiri, Ghazali Bunari said the cooperation between the students and the corporate company such as BMW Shorties is a brave action. The 38-year-old lecturer of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia also added it is something extraordinary to see BMW as a partner in an education film development.
Read more about BMW Shorties Screening
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Mohd Aliff Mohd Nor (part 1 2 )
About BMW Shorties
http://www.bmwshorties.com.my/press03.htm
BMW Shorties 2007 winner revealed at Premiere
Freelance director wins inaugural BMW Shorties award
Kuala Lumpur, 10 March 2007
The inaugural BMW Shorties film competition concluded tonight with the announcement of the BMW Shorties Award winner, honourable mentions for two of the Top 10 entries and the presentation of the People’s Choice Award.
Freelance director Abdullah Zahir Bin Omar, 24, won the inaugural BMW Shorties Award with his 15-minute 55-second entry, K-Hole, which delved into the mobility of death. The entry was selected for the Award over a total number of 74 entries.
The BMW Shorties Award comes with a prize of RM50,000 in production assistance to make a professional short film which, if judged good enough, will be fielded in international competitions via the global BMW network. In making the short film, Abdullah Zahir will also receive guidance from the panel of judges.
Two entries were given Honourable Mentions by the panel of judges. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia lecturer, Ghazali Bunari, 38, and film editor, Sasitharan Rajoo, 27, won honourable mentions with their entries “Kiri” and “Singgam”.
Kiri – which came in at 17 minutes, 25 seconds – chronicles the trauma and obsession for revenge of a young girl who witnesses the violent murder of her father while Singgam (13 minutes, 27 seconds) follows a teenage boy through his journey of discovery on the meaning of love.
The People’s Choice Award, the Top 10 entry that garnered the most votes from the public, was also won by Ghazali Bunari for his film “Kiri”, which received a total of 1, 120 votes over a period of eight days.
BMW Corporate Affairs Manager Mr Vijayaratnam Tharumartnam said the high number of entries on subjects ranging from sociopolitical commentary to personal journeys for the BMW Shorties showed that Malaysians are more than capable of expressing themselves.
“The number of entries we received for the BMW Shorties proves that Malaysians can and do speak out on matters that concern them. The high quality of entries shows that Malaysians have talent. And the high number of votes we received from the public shows that people are interested in cutting-edge cinematic art,” he said, prior to the BMW Shorties Award winner being announced.
“The BMW Shorties is not just about offering cash prizes to the winner. It is about finding and nurturing promising new talent in Malaysia and then providing them with the possibility of an international platform on which to showcase their work,” Vijayaratnam said.
Mr. Wolfgang Schlimme, Managing Director of BMW Malaysia Sdn Bhd, in welcoming guests and participants, said the BMW Shorties exemplifies the BMW Group’s passion to assist in the growth of the cinematic arts, both domestically and globally.
“The success of this year’s BMW Shorties is proof positive that we are doing something right to assist in unearthing new talent for Malaysia’s growing cinematic arts industry. We look forward to see even more talented Malaysians submitting their entries next year,” Mr Schlimme said.
Thanking the panel of judges for their time and effort in reviewing the entries, Mr Schlimme noted that the task of choosing a winner had been so difficult that it was decided that there should be honourable mentions made of some of the finalists.
Filmmaker Yasmin Ahmad, writer/filmmaker/photographer Danny Lim, experimental filmmaker James Lee, film editor Affandi Jamaludin, award-winning commercial director Paul Loosley and academic Gregory Wee reviewed and selected the Top 10 entries amid much debate and argument.
The inaugural BMW Shorties is planned as an annual short film competition open to aspiring Malaysian filmmakers of any age, as long as they have never participated and won in any local or international film festival, competition or award.
It is a competition with a difference, in that its aim is not simply to reward talents in the local independent film industry but to offer them even greater opportunities through the BMW Group’s global network.
To see how one can be a part of the BMW Shorties Short Film Competition experience, visit the website at www.bmwshorties.com.my.
Issued by:
BMW Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Vijayaratnam Tharumartnam, Corporate Affairs Manager, Malaysia
Telephone: (+603) 8887 3822, Fax: (+603) 8887 3801
E-mail: vijayaratnam.tharumartnam@bmw.com.my
For media queries, please contact:
Fleishman-Hillard Kuala Lumpur
Joycelyn Lee/Sashi Ambi
Telephone: (+603) 2283 2730, Fax: (+603) 2283 2750
E-mail: joycelyn.lee@fleishman.com/sashi.ambihaipahan@fleishman.com
Media Website: www.press.bmwgroup.com
BMW Shorties Website: www.bmwshorties.com.my
2 comments July 31, 2007
