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[email protected] Five school streams unreasonable I REFER to “Listen to parents, too” (Letters, Aug 14). For PAGE to propose the present major three streams in our education system be increased to five is surely something unreasonable. If approved it will only complicate the already fragmented school system we have today which in itself is not helping in nation building. I think using globalisation as a pretext to seek diversity in the country’s education system is being crafty and not placing this important issue in its right perspective. As much as we concur diversity is the “in” thing in this global age, the experience and current practice the world over suggest that as far as national education is concerned they are all uniform. This is even more crucial for countries with multiracial, multi-cultural and multireligious communities. True enough parents are concerned only for their children’s education, but then, who is not? But, ultimately we also wish our children not only do well in life but at the same time able to live in a harmonious environment and in a peaceful country. And to achieve this, there must be unity among all the races. Freedom of choice is synonymous with modern times, but for responsible citizens, unity and peace will have to take precedence. If we are not happy with the mechanism or approach of the present education system, it is only proper that as parents we extend our vast resources and intellect to the relevant authorities and ensure that we produce par excellence students. Since we clamour for 1Malaysia, which strives for one nation, one people, it is only logical we rally for one education system which will enable us to empower the national language and strengthen English proficiency. Zamri Mahmud Kuala Lumpur Be on the safe side THE influenza A(H1N1) outbreak has become a serious health threat to Malaysians. The pandemic is a national threat as the death toll is climbing by the day. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak urges people to take all precautions to halt the spread of the A(H1N1) virus. I strongly agree as prevention is better than cure. A major part of prevention relates to personal hygiene. Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai announced strategies to counter the disease, including making H1N1 testing and treatment more widely available to the public and urging all clinics and hospitals, both private and public, to use rapid influenza screening test for those with flu-like symptoms who request to be tested. The issue now is, rapid tests are only 70-75% accurate. I prefer to take safety measures. I think protection is a way to circumvent H1N1 – like avoiding public gatherings if you could, always washing your hands, etc. Islam made ablutions a must before prayers more than 1,400 years ago, showing humanity how to be protected from infectious diseases by a thorough washing of the exposed body parts five times a day. You have nothing to lose if you take action as personal hygiene is imperative in these times. Mohd Firdaus Mohd Isa UiTM Malaysia Shah Alam In praise of DBKL officers ON July 28, my car parked illegally in Damansara Heights was towed away by KL city hall (DBKL). The two officers who executed their duty advised me not to panic and guided me on how to reclaim my car. About 30 minutes later, I took a taxi to the DBKL directorate near Jalan Pahang. I thought I was going to face a lot of red tape and waiting. To my surprise, the officer who attended to me was friendly and kind enough to guide me on the paper work and process of paying the fine. He even advised me to appeal for a reduction. Another officer kindly gave me a 50% discount. I must praise the honesty and the sincerity of the officers who towed my car. As I forgot to lock my car when I left it in an undesignated parking lot, they had gone the extra mile and asked me to check if there was anything amiss. I was relieved that my netbook was intact. In less than an hour, I’m happily driving out my car from the pound minus the “pain” of paying a RM105 fine. My experience with the officers showed how professional they are. I now know there are good and committed DBKL enforcers. Terima kasih and you have the quality of 1Malaysia. No Notis: AE80904545 Kuala Lumpur Allow face masks in schools IN view of the spread and high fatality rate of influenza A(H1N1) in Malaysia, preventative measures are crucial and should be encouraged, especially at crowded places like schools. My children study at a primary school in Taman Connaught, Kuala Lumpur. All classrooms are fully air-conditioned but masks are only allowed for students who have flu-like illnesses. If someone has influenza A(H1N1), chances of other students getting the virus (including the teacher) is very high. It is like a time bomb waiting to explode. If this happens, community transmission and outbreak will occur. By then it will be too late, and more people will die. Kelvin Petaling Jaya State Islamic laws distinct I REFER to reports concerning the planned whipping of a part-time model found guilty of consuming alcohol. Kartika Sari Dewi was sentenced for a crime under Islamic laws, in this case it is the state enactment of Pahang called “Enakmen Pentadbiran Ugama Islam Dan Adat Resam Melayu Pahang 1982”. Many seem to be presenting their views without understanding Islamic laws and the principles behind them. Punishments for crimes according to the Islamic laws are not merely to punish the offender but also as a reminder and deterrent for the public. That is why punishments for offences, especially those that fall under hudud and qisas offences, are usually carried out in public. Some sections of the Muslim society in Malaysia claim that the government is not doing enough in implementing Islamic laws. This is because although all states have Islamic laws, they are watered-down versions of what the religion actually demands. Consuming alcohol falls under hudud offences, but the punishment is not spelt out in the Quran. In Kartika’s case, as the case had been tried according to existing Islamic laws in Pahang, the punishment would follow existing guidelines where I believe that the existing laws do not provide for public whipping. Adri Hemy Abdul Ghani Jeddah