ASSIGNMENT ANSWER

QUESTION 1:

IMPROVING PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Public transport is often quicker and cheaper than using a car, especially in congested urban areas where parking is limited. Because it causes less pollution and congestion, greater use of public transport has benefits for the environment and our communities too.

Encouraging public to use public transport is yet challenging. Most people nowadays more comfortable by having their own transportation. Especially those in the working class.

In order to promote the public to use public transport in my opinion is by improving the public transportation that involves companies or organization. Organization or companies that is poorly served by public transport may wish to approach the local council or the relevant government agency with regard to improving the service and maybe even rerouting buses and shuttle. There are many cases where this has been done. If the service to organization office is bad, then it’s probably bad for many of the people who live nearby and use the services.

Other than that in order to improve travel experience, make information on local bus and train services easily accessible by placing timetables and route maps on notice boards and by including bus and rail links in 'how to find us' information in company brochures and websites.

Company management also can opt to reminding their staff that, if they take the bus or the train, they could spend the time doing other things, like reading or relaxing or preparing for meetings. And when choosing venues for meetings and conferences, choose venues that are well served by trains and buses and circulate clear details of nearby transport links to everyone who will be coming. Give directions to the venue from the bus stop/train station for walkers (and cyclists) in times and distances.

The companies should improving routes and facilities for public transport users by considering physical works to alter routes and to relocate stops so that people can wait indoors for buses. Also negotiate with operators to improve current routes or introduce new ones for user and consider providing shuttle buses to stations, other sites or key destinations. And not to forget to improve walking routes between the company site and bus stops or train stations.

Other than improving routes, companies can also improving bus stops, waiting areas and walking routes that can make the site a more attractive place to work and encourage public transport use. Providing or subsidizing bus and rail passes can make good business sense and there are tax breaks for organizations operating bus pass purchase schemes.

The involvement of organizations and companies will further help improve the level of public transport services and also encourage the public to use the service. The use of public transport not only improve the standard of living of the citizens but also seen as an effort to reduce congestion and pollution in cities in particular.

However, the involvement of local authorities is also important in the success of this effort. Local authorities should develop common energy with organizations or companies engaged in providing space and opportunities for improving public transport services. With continuous effort no doubt these efforts could be successful and effective.

525 WORDS

QUESTION 3:

E-BOOK AS THE TEXTBOOK: ARE WE READY?

Textbook options are expanding and the electronic text is poised to become prevalent in the school classroom in Malaysia. Cost pressures are driving this trend even as the academic value of e-textbooks has yet to be established. Limited research is available that examines the effectiveness of the e-textbook as a learning tool.

Electronic textbooks (e-Book) have been on the Malaysian market for more than 10 years. Today, most popular textbook titles are available electronically. However, the adoption of the electronic text in higher education has been slow to materialize. Even with the introduction of smart school the e-book penetration still consider relatively low due to the cost of the materials.

Cost of an e-Book in Malaysia is the primary driver of the e-textbook market. Textbook price increases have been staggering. The average price of a textbook rose 186% between 1986 and 2005 (Young, 2010) and for the last three years, prices have increased an average of 7.5% per year (Boroughs, 2010).

There is great disparity in publisher pricing strategies for e-textbooks. In some cases, e-textbooks even cost more than their hardcopy equivalent. Publishers cite that costs are shifting rather than being reduced. Major costs in textbook development such as content creation, copy editing and licensing rights remain the same. Additionally, publishers have invested heavily in the development of e-textbook applications and features. Textbook publishers are concerned with protecting their profit margins, and state that static market demand for textbooks makes it difficult to implement aggressive pricing strategies.

The textbook market is changing. No longer is the printed book the only available option. Driven by pressures to reduce textbook costs, experimentation with alternative models, such as the e-textbook, is occurring. However, standardization in e-textbook format and features has yet to emerge and pricing-models have yet to generate a sizable enough reduction in cost to make the e-textbook a competitive alternative

Price is the top driver of student-buying behavior, especially in Malaysia where the cost of life increases. E-textbooks will not catch on until they are the cheapest option and students are not convinced that “e-textbook pricing actually puts money in their pockets”. According to the Student Public Interest Research Groups, e-textbooks on average cost 39% more when compared to buying and reselling a paper-based text. They suggest the price point must represent a savings of more than 50%.

Research has indicated that student performance is not significantly impacted either by format or delivery mechanism. In fact, the results have been neutral. Expectations for increased student interaction with content promoted by the integration of rich media, hyperlinks to supplemental materials or features that support in-text annotation and note sharing have not materialized. However, these new formats have not been widely utilized and research has yet to uncover how students might more effectively interact with e-textbooks. The value of e-textbooks will increase when they are designed to incorporate digital and interactive features in ways that effectively enhance the teaching/learning process in Malaysian education landscape.

492 WORDS

QUESTION 4:

HOW TECHNOLOGY CHANGE THE PARADIGM SHIFT IN COMMUNICATION

Throughout the years, technological advances have walked hand-in-hand with evolving ways of communicating. The most recent technological developments, such as the internet, have resulted in the advancement of the science of communication to a new level.

The first invention of a human communication aid was a ‘pictograph’ (figure 2). This consisted of writing being engraved into a stone. The invention of paper and wax resulted in the creation of the ‘printing press’ in the 15th century. This enabled the transfer of communications from one place to another, allowing the uniformity of languages over long distances.

In the late 1800s, the first telephone was introduced, allowing people to communicate and hear each other’s voices for the first time. However, dissimilar to today, these telephones were normally restricted to use in the home. Postal letters were still very popular around this time. This would require handwriting the letter, or the use of a typewriter, and a visit to the post office. The letter would be received within a few days, depending on the destination.

The latest revolution is the widespread application of electronic technology such as electronic waves and signals to communication, manifesting in the production and transfer of documents all over the World Wide Web. The speed of the internet is faster than ever, meaning that not only messages, but documents, pictures and videos can be shared within seconds. This is extremely beneficial for businesses. It enables them to expand their client/customer base, taking advantage of the World Wide Web through globalisation if it suits the company.

Both computers and the internet have also made the process of creating and editing documents a lot easier. Documents can be shared instantly; reducing both time and costs. The huge amount of knowledge available on the internet has dramatically improved the quality of communication. It is possible to translate text from an unfamiliar language, research unfamiliar concepts, and check the meaning of an unfamiliar word.

The invention of the mobile phone has also had a huge impact. They allow people to communicate from anywhere in the world at any time. The possibility of high quality communication from anywhere in the world to anywhere else at low costs has led to a marked decline in face-to-face communication.

The introduction of interactive communication methods, such as instant messengers and videoconferencing, have increased the amount of communications, but decreased their length. Meaning we are having shorter, snappier conversations, more often. People now communicate whatever comes up instantly, and tend to break up different topics into different communications.

Finally, the internet has also made communications of new opportunities such as employment, dating, purchasing, selling and outsourcing a lot more readily available and effective. Overall, over the years, communication has become a lot easier, however a lot more interactive, ruling out the need for face-to-face communication so much.

475 WORDS

QUESTION 5:

THE MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT

When it comes to the most memorable moment in life, most people usually tell about their sweetest moment. To be honest, myself also has a lot of sweetest moments in my life but the most of my memorable moment unfortunately not the sweetest one.

I still clearly remember the day when the Court of Appeal that presided by three prominent judges turning down my appeal. After 10 years of fighting for my justice finally the decision is clear. Justice late is justice denied.

I will never forget that day. That was the day I saw my parents for the last time. That day is also the last time I hugged my fiancée.

I never thought that a decent man like me can end up in jail. I always thought that our judicial system is safeguarding the citizen. The law abiding citizen that always believe in rule of law. I was wrong. The system is failing and it brings me down along with their failure. No matter what I try, or what I fought, the decision is still the same. I am going to prison.

The memorable moment does not only stop when the judge knocked down the justice hammer, it continues when I was escorted to the lock up and waited to be transport to the local prison.

While waiting in the lock up, the jailhouse police allow me to call anyone I want using my own cellphone. I am calling everyone. I cried, I weep, and I angered. But there is nothing I can do. I am still going to prison. I do not know what stays ahead.

The transport vehicle came later in the afternoon and I am sent to the most notorious jail in Malaysian history, the Kajang Prison. So many things came up to my mind. I was scared but I also realize that this is the last moment of the ‘outside’ life. I spent every seconds of the time by enjoying how beautiful life is when you know you going to prison. I even find that even the traffic jam is enjoyable. Yes, it is a weird feeling but that is what a person see when he knows that he going to spend at least of his eight years of life behind thick and high wall. I am so devastated.

The gate to the Kajang Prison looks like the most terrified gate I ever see in my life. I can even feel the goose bumps when the prison van parked itself in front of the gate. I do feel I want to run but the handcuffed locked so tightly to my hand; it even locked with other prisoners. I just can do nothing. I felt like I am at the purgatory. In a between of my life and hell.

I was shoved through the gate and processes by the prison staff in the most humiliated manner in my life. I am given the prison garb. I will never forget the smell of the clothes when I was force to undress and dressed in front of everyone. Am I deserved this? No. But there is nothing I can do. I am now a prisoner. A condemn person no matter how innocence I am. A convict.

542 WORDS

QUESTION 7:

TOURISM ISSUES IN MALAYSIA

Since the early 1980s, Malaysia has steadily diversified its economy. Major changes include a departure from a reliance on the cultivation and export of raw materials, in particular natural rubber, to a focus on services, manufacturing and tourism. Tourism, in particular, has had a significant impact and, as a generator of foreign exchange, is second only to the oil industry. Increases in employment, development and foreign exchange earnings, however, can burden a tourism infrastructure that is not fully developed. However there are some issues in that have been overlooked and may impact tourism in Malaysia. This article will explain the problems in tourism industry in Malaysia.

Ecotourism

Ecotourism is a quickly expanding segment of Malaysian tourism. Where parks noted for their biodiversity were once established solely for research and conservation, increased tourism has created a dilemma --- how to balance the revenues from tourism with the importance of research. Activities associated with ecotourism such as resorts, golf courses, marinas and even roads can play a role in the destruction of natural habitat. Furthermore, increased tourism has not inspired more regulation of tourism or education of visitors in how to minimally impact these areas. These omissions increase the chances of more significant damage to ecosystems.

Over-development

In certain cases, over-development is a negative factor as resident business owners seek to capitalize on the economic windfall of tourism through increased construction. The building of large coastal resorts has a twofold impact. First, many of these resorts are constructed without environmental impact awareness and, as a result, coastal lagoons, beaches and mangrove forests are hurt. Second, over-development in some cases has actually driven tourists away as the structures built are often eyesores.

Dive Industry

Coastal Malaysia is a playground for recreational scuba divers. As the country opened its doors to dive operators, it also opened its doors to destruction of marine habitats. Dives with large groups of relatively inexperienced divers, for example, often unwittingly crash into corals that took years to grow as these novices have yet to master techniques for maintaining buoyancy. Contributing to the problem are dive operators who can't possibly manage such large numbers of divers with their limited staff size. The onus here doesn't simply fall upon lack of government regulation. Dive organizations that reward newcomers with certifications for limited experience also must rethink their policies as well as maintain proper student-to-instructor ratios. Until both the government and these operators make significant changes, marine habitats remain at risk of further damage.

Transportation

Taxi drivers in Malaysia are well known for unscrupulously charging visitors high fares. This stems from lack of regulation in face of an increase in tourism. Unchallenged by government, taxi drivers are free to demand whatever fare they feel like charging and often simply shut off their meters. Moreover, tourists arriving at airports, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, for example, will not always have a suitable alternative when they want to go to specific locations.

Conclusion

The prospects for future expansion of tourism in Malaysia are limitless. Our advantages for developing an all-purpose tourism have already been outlined. However there are also problems that might arise during the implementation. Local government should always play their part to make sure problems in tourism are not overlooked and resolved accordingly.

544 WORDS

ATTACHMENT

REFERENCES

Boroughs, D. (2010). ‘Bye the book: In educational publishing, the only certainty is change. PRISM. Retrieved from: http://www.prismmagazine.org/apr10/feature_01.cfm

Hidalgo, D. (2010, December 18). Modernizing public transportation. Retrieved July 9, 2015, from http://pdf.wri.org/modernizing_public_transportation.pdf

International Telecommunication Union (ITU) case studies, Geneva: ITU, available from

http://itu.int/ti/casestudies/

ITU (2001) "Counting the Net: Internet Access Indicators" available from

www.isoc.org/isoc/conferences/inet/00/cdproceedings/8e/8e_1.htm.

Kiiski S. and Pohjola M. (2001). Cross-country diffusion of the Internet, available at

http://www.wider.unu.edu/publications/dps/DP2001-11.pdf.

Norizawati, M., & Tarmiji, M. (2014, November 19). Issues of Safety and Security: New Challenging to Malaysia Tourism Industry. Retrieved July 9, 2015, from http://www.shsconferences.org/articles/shsconf/abs/2014/09/shsconf_4ictr2014_01083/shsconf_4ictr2014_01083.html

Public Transportation: Benefits for the 21st Century. (2006, March 16). Retrieved July 9, 2015, from: http://www.apta.com/resources/reportsandpublications/Documents/twenty_first_century.pdf

Young, J. R. (2009). New e-textbooks do more than inform: They'll even grade you. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/article/New-E-Textbooks-Do-MoreThan/48324