:: degree program comparison ::

Well, for writing this article, I might get some backlash from some people. But I don't care. The reason why I'm doing this is to clear up the air should there be any misunderstanding between those students (and graduates) who is doing (or did obtained) a degree in Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) from both universities: Adelaide University, Australia, and UTM, Malaysia.

Why did I choose to compare these two universities? Because both claims to be the best (or one of the best) university for doing Engineering courses in their countries, respectively.

Some of the stereotypical issues might be:
1. student or grad oversea relax je la, belajar siket je subjek..!
2. sombong seih budak grad oversea, padahal aku belajar lagi banyak dari dia..!
3. apa kelas budak grad local uni je?

To do justice, here are what I think students (or graduates) from both countries can claim:

For UTM students:
1. Kitaorg terer, sebab amek banyak subjects!
2. Busy wo idop dolu2, banyak assignments! Dah la sampai 50% value untuk full mark! But kitaorg dapat lepas dengan berjaya! Dah la ada lecturer yang macam...!
3. Kitaorg ada banyak awek2 cun kat sini! Stok penapisan untuk dijadikan pasangan idop sangat besar!
4. Kitaorg makan best! Nak balik umah untuk makan yang lagi best pun tak la susah sangat, paling jauh pun, flight 2 jam je.
5. Dugaan ah beb, banyak hal ah kat sini, politik la, family la, nak bayar pinjaman la etc..
6. Ada ke patut kena amek subjek2 yang takde kena-mengena dengan degree nih? But kitaorg kan terer? Sumer clear beb!
7. Sini persaingan tinggi bro! Dah la kerajaan kalau boleh nak semua students all-rounded: bijak, beriman, beramal, terer sukan, etc etc. Nasib baik tak jadi robot terus.

For Adelaide Uni students:
1. Mana kau tau quality subjek siket tak sama dengan yang banyak? Giler kau, kitaorg buat assignments macam giler perfect pun, kitaorg dapat around 20% of grade je.. Buat lah se-excellent mana sekalipun..
2. Hidup mencabar weh, assignments tiap2 minggu ada. Masalahnya, kau buat ke tak assignment, datang kelas ke tidak, lecturer pedulik apa? Bukannya fail terus, cuma kitaorg ni agak terer gak ah bila exam, buat giler babeng dasat (maklumlah 80% dari exam). Attendance untuk kelas? Apa tuh? Last time kena amek rollcall masa kat skolah la. Rindu pulak zaman dulu kena paksa belajar. Ada jugak orang yang tengok2 perkembangan.
3. Walaupun subjek siket, tapi most likely syllabus sama banyak. Siap advance lagi tuh, ada projek nanotechnology. Tak caya, tengok kat bawah ni..
4. Kitaorg nak cari stok gadis Melayu terakhir susah ah. Tapi, global market bro! Global! Tapi, untuk sapa2 yang ada gf/tunang kat Malaysia, kira terer gak la. Walaupun otak dan jantung tiap2 hari rasa macam nak meletup risau, dapat juga maintain waras dan setia. Orang kata: long-distance tu macam belajar MATHS 1011 la, kacang je!
5. Alamak, makanan halal susah gak nak cari! But kalau kitaorg still pilih untuk hidup dengan makan benda2 halal je, rasa2nya, boleh claim iman kitaorg lagi kuat.. Bab balik umah jumpa parents memang susah la, mahal. Call pon kena ikut time, malam2 ada la cheap time period to call. But concert2 banyak woi sini, takde censor2 pulak tuh! (Alamak, lupa pulak aku belajar apa tadi..)
6. Dugaan? Oversea politik takde hal, cuma kuat tak kuat iman, dan mampu tak mampu tiap2 hari nak speaking je lah yang menduga. Maklumlah, takde azan, takde pencegah maksiat, uni bagi kondom free (macam gula2), nightclub depan uni, KFC yang memang tak halal berlambak, ganja/alkohol/hiburan macam jumlah masjid kat Malaysia. Banyak giler!
7. Nasib baik ah kitaorg takde kena amek subjek macam tuh. Eh eh, patutlah kitaorg maybe kurang bermoral, kurang Islamic dan kurang Asian. But takpelah, kitaorg belajar direct dari idop, 4 tahun, tiap2 hari kena duga. Practical tu beb!
8. Persaingan? Susah beb, susah! Bebudak mat saleh ni bukannya ada dapat offer utk gi belajar mana2 uni kat oversea. So, yang tahap IQ macam ala2 Einstein pun berlambak dalam kelas. (cuba try tengok dalam wikipedia, berapa ramai ex-student Adelaide Uni yang dah menang Nobel Prize!). Tuh yang masa bila aku menang debat, atau dapat report sampai lebih 90%, aku sengeh2 macam gile tuh! Rasa macam Einstein bawah tapak kaki je.. Haha..

Nota editor: sorry kalau nampak berat sebelah. Tak berniat apa2, cuma as orang yang tak duduk kat Malaysia now, tak tau apa hujah2 best budak local U..


So, apa moralnya?

Hormatilah satu sama lain.

Yang belajar atau grad oversea mungkin kurang sopan, kurang Islamic, kurang bersikap keMalaysiaan dan mungkin kurang jumlah subjeknya berbanding apa yang budak local U amek, BUT disebabkan at least 4 tahun tercampak kat tempat orang yang penuh dugaan, diaorg ni bab2 survival dalam menjaga maruah atau experience persaingan bebas tanpa tongkat kerajaan atau pun bab2 pelajaran jatuh-bangun memang mungkin ada kelebihan.

Yang belajar local U pulak, walaupun ada yang mungkin kata university takde kualiti (tak masuk top 100), atau jagoan kampung, atau tak tercabar sebab masih dalam negara, aku rasa, they deserve a lot of repect! Mana ada orang dari uni2 negara lain yang kena amek banyak2 subjek, dah la subjek yang pelik2, siap ada kokurikulum pulak tuh? So, kena respect diaorg nih, 4 tahun keje keras, kena pakai bahasa yang bukannya tiap2 hari kena praktis dan berjaya lulus walaupun diduga dengan segala apa yang berlaku. Diaorg nih, benda2 pasal negara berlaku depan mata tiap2 hari, but berjaya jugak focus. Lagipun, diaorg nih la yang membesar dalam negara, mengalami lebih banyak perkara dalam negara masa tengah bertambah kematangan diaorg.

So, for both, rendah2kan lah diri. Hormat pihak yang satu lagi. Jangan pandah rendah pihak satu lagi, tapi jangan la sampai biarkan orang kata degree uni korang tak berkualiti, atau tuduh korang sambil main2 pun boleh grad!

By the way, here is the comparison between the program for Bachelor of Engineering in both universities:


Sila klik untuk lihat dengan lebih jelas..

:: Why the need of replacing the Causeway? ::

Well, after a while (and after thinking and keeping mum about this issue for a very long time), I think it's time for me to write on why there is a dire need of replacing the Causeway.

For those who disagree, or disgruntled about this idea, no apologies are made. I am a Malaysian, and I should voice what I think is good for my country.

Maybe, some of my friends from the bordering southern country might be pissed, or think that I'm pissed with them, but afraid not, I mean no harm. But my country will always comes first.

Reasons why the Causeway should be removed/replaced:
1. To accommodate the free flow of water and ships. Better flow would mean better nautical environment.
2. By providing access there (under the replacement bridge), the ports (Pasir Gudang, and Tanjung Pelepas) would have a greater amount of trade. These ports would then be the most vital southern-most tip of the Asian mainland.
3. This would then work in tandem with the proposed double-track railway from these ports to KLIA and up north into Thailand.
4. As the double-track railway will be big enough to carry the trade items shipped as cargo, these cargoes can then be carried by it, and then be flown from KLIA, or be transported direct to mainland Asia (through Thailand).
5. Since we already have a good network of highways in the Peninsular which is joined to the major network of Asian highways, this also means that the trade items can also be transported through road.
6. Millions of jobs can the be generated as trade is increased, and this would also lead to greater development of road and rail links (and new cities) in the Eastern part of the Peninsular.
7. Another port can then be developed in either Kelantan or Terengganu, or any of the Northern states to provide better connection. Hence, leading to even a chance that ther is no need to stop at the ports down there in the south.
8. As per point #1, there can then be development of the waterfront of the most Southern state in the Peninsular. It can be a new Venice-like city, which can be a twin to the one that should be build in KL (as the city would be leased congested due to the transfer of Government facilities to Putrajaya).
9. This would also allow installation of better checkpoints or scanning facility on the new bridge. Traffic flow in the southern-most city in the Peninsular would also be improved. And better naval control and surveillance.
10. Hence, better connection of the already built or soon-to-be-built infrastructure network in the Peninsular. No need to worry about security, the bridge could be cut off if there the need arise. (Just like why the new administration capital was built on a man-made island. Think about it, by cutting off the bridge, the 'island' can still be protected by naval, air and land forces, and can still work as the beating heart of the nation).
11. It's as a show of our brave stand and authority as a proud sovereign nation with rights. We can still be good neighbour, but one which is also intelligent and brave.

There you go, those are the reasons. Some people might say that it's dumb to give full reasoning, as your enemy might see your 'secret' planning. But my idea is this: sometimes, you have to 'accidentally' leak your might and intelligence to others, so that they have a hint of what they'll be dealing with should they toy with the idea of confrontation.

All in all, I truly support the idea of replacing it.

Now, go forth, and build it!





p/s:

On a lighter note, I remembered when Malaysians were celebrating the 31st August here in Australia, they was a big banner on which everyone wrote their wishes / statements of love for the country. One fellow Singaporean even wrote 'Malaysia tanah airku' (maybe trying to pass as one of the my fellow countrymen).

I came and changed it to 'Malaysia: sumber airku'.. Partly as a joke, and partly as a reminder/lesson to the others (esp. from Malacca) that they're paying more for water, as compared to a particular foreign country.