China's moon landing mission to use "secret weapons"

Representational Picture

Multiple "secret weapons" will be used on China's Chang'e-3 lunar probe, scheduled to launch at the end of this year for a moon landing mission, a key scientist said.

The mission will see a Chinese orbiter soft-land on a celestial body for the first time.

In addition to several cameras, Chang'e-3 will carry a near-ultraviolet astronomical telescope to observe stars, the galaxy and the universe from the moon, said Ouyang Ziyuan, a senior advisor to China's lunar program.

The telescope will observe the universe "farther and clearer" and will possibly bring new discoveries since there will be no disturbance from the aerosphere, ionosphere and magnetosphere on the moon, offering views free from interference from human activity, pollution and the magnetic field, said Ouyang.

He said at the First Beijing International Forum on Lunar and Deep-space Exploration held on Sept. 3-6 that the lander also carries an extreme ultraviolet camera, which will be used on the moon for the first time to monitor the transformation of the earth's plasmasphere and the planet's environmental change.

The Chang'e-3 moon rover will roam the moon's surface to patrol and explore the satellite.

Radar will be attached to the bottom of the rover to explore 100 to 200 meters beneath the moon's surface, which is unprecedented, said Ouyang.

Chang'e-3 has officially entered its launch stage, following research and manufacturing periods. It will be launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China.

"The Chang'e-3 mission makes use of a plethora of innovative technologies.

It is an extremely difficult mission that carries great risk," Ma Xingrui, head of China's space exploration body and chief commander of the lunar program, said last month.

The Chang'e-3 mission is the second phase of China's lunar program, which includes orbiting, landing and returning to Earth.

It follows the successes of the Chang'e-2 missions, which include plotting a high-resolution, full-coverage lunar map.

Chang'e-3's carrier rocket has successfully gone through its first test, while the launch pad, control and ground application systems are ready for the mission.

China's deep-space exploration should go beyond the moon, and the country's scientists are actively preparing to implement plans to explore Mars, Venus and asteroids, said Ye Peijian, chief scientist of the Chang'e-3 program.

"Scientists are always prepared to conduct deep-space exploration and will do it after conditions permit," said Ye.

Ouyang said the scientific goals of solar system exploration include searching for extraterrestrial life; deepening understanding of Earth by exploring Mars, Venus and Jupiter; investigating the impact on Earth caused by solar activity and asteroid strikes; searching for new energies and resources; and preparing for mankind's future development.

Contributed by Xinhua

EduCity project, Iskandar Malaysia

Muhyiddin looking at a model of the MDIS campus during the ceremony in Nusajaya. Looking on is MDIS secretarygeneral Dr R. Theyvendran (second from right) and other dignitaries. 

NUSAJAYA: The EduCity project in Iskandar Malaysia has attracted some RM700mil in investments with the setting up of several international universities, says Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Muhyiddin who is also Education Minister, said that 70% of Educity has been developed with three university campuses and two shared facilities.

“Besides EduCity, the Government is also developing Pagoh into a multi-varsity education hub and Bandar Sri Alam in Pasir Gudang as a ‘City of Knowledge’,” he said at the ground-breaking ceremony of Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) here yesterday.

MDIS, founded in 1956, is Singapore’s oldest non-profit professional institute for lifelong learning. It will invest RM300mil for its campus, which is expected to open in 2015.

Muhyididn said EduCity, which covers an area of 121ha, was now drawing the attention of many international investors.

He stressed that the cross-border investments between Malaysia and Singapore were complementing each country’s economy and it was not a rivalry.

“Singapore boasts some of the best tertiary learning institutions in the world. There is much we can gain by joining forces to woo the best brains to study within our shores instead of competing with each other,” he added.

Malaysia is currently ranked the 11th largest exporter of educational services, providing a place to study for more than 90,000 students from over 100 nations.

Muhyiddin said the country hoped to more than double the figure to 200,000 students by 2020.

The integrated MDIS green campus would have state-of-the-art facilities to accommodate 2,000 students and this will be MDIS’ third campus after its headquarters and main campus in Singapore and its sister campus in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Other campuses within the EduCity include Newcastle University, Malborough College Malaysia and University of Southampton, while the Netherlands Maritime Institute of Technology is expected to open next month.

Later during a meet-the-people session at Kampung Maju Jaya in Kempas, Muhyiddin said the move to increase the price of RON95 and diesel by 20 sen has been positively received by investors and economists.

“Although it was a painful decision it had to be made to ensure the country’s economy is stable,” he said.

He said that if the Government did not take the necessary steps to increase the price of fuel, it would be worse for the country’s economy.

- Contributed by The Star/Asia News Network.

Malaysia Aims To Attract 200,000 International Students By 2020


Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin looking at MDIS campus model after ground breaking ceremony of the campus at Educity Nusajaya Johor

NUSAJAYA, Sept 5 (Bernama) -- The government aims to attract at least 200,000 international students to Malaysia by 2020, further cementing the country's status as one of the world's largest exporters of educational services, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Thursday.

The deputy prime minister and education minister said Malaysia had increased its attractiveness as a tertiary education provider in the global market place.

The country is currently the world's 11th largest exporter of educational services, providing a place to study for over 90,000 students from over 100 nations, he said.

Muhyiddin spoke at the ground-breaking of the Nusajaya campus of the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) at Educity, Nusajaya, here.

The RM300-million MDIS campus is the largest overseas investment for the Singapore-based educational institution.

Muhyiddin said the education services sector was one of the targeted nine economic pillars in the Comprehensive Development Plan of the Iskandar Malaysia development corridor, offering excellent investment opportunities for local and foreign investors.

The government, he said, had made a conscious decision to prioritise the private education sector.

"One of the Entry Point Projects identified under Malaysia's Economic Transformation Programme is to transform the economic growth corridor in Johor into Asia's choice destination for education by attracting renowned international universities and colleges," he said.

Educity in Nusajaya will make world-class education more accessible to Malaysians and other people in the region, he said, adding that the education enclave was expected to accommodate 16,000 students at full capacity.

The deputy prime minister said 214 acres (86.6 hectares) or 70 per cent of the total 300 acres (121.4 hectares) of Educity had been developed, with three campuses and two shared facilities currently in full operation.

These include the campuses of Newcastle University, Marlborough College Malaysia and University of Southampton, while the Netherlands Maritime Institute of Technology is scheduled to open its campus next month.

"We will see more institutions operating in Educity in the next three years," said Muhyiddin.

He said he was pleased that the tertiary education sector in Iskandar Malaysia was now drawing the attention of many international investors, including those from Singapore.

Besides MDIS, another Singapore group, Raffles Education Corp, is developing a RM200-million self-contained dedicated campus known as the Raffles University Iskandar, which is due to open in 2015.

Muhyiddin welcomed such cross-border investments from Singapore, saying the republic boasted some of the best tertiary institutions in the world and Educity in Nusajaya could complement the republic's attractiveness as an education hub.

"There is much we can gain by joining forces to woo the best brains to study within our shores, instead of competing against one another, which will only result in lost opportunities and failure to capitalise on our strategic strengths," he said. -- BERNAMA

MDIS makes S$116m footprint in Iskandar

JOHOR — Singapore has increased its presence in the Iskandar area across the border, with private education provider Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) breaking ground on its RM300 million (S$116 million) Malaysia campus yesterday.

At almost five times the size of its Singapore campus, MDIS Iskandar is an example of the keen interest in Malaysia’s first economic growth corridor. Singapore firms — such as Temasek, Ascendas and CapitaLand — have invested about S$2.5 billion in Iskandar since it was set up in 2006, making the country the largest foreign investor, according to the Iskandar Regional Development Authority.

“We welcome such cross-border investments ... Students from various countries have long found it attractive and convenient to pursue their higher-education goals in Singapore. The demand for seats has risen in Singapore, herein lies the strategic advantage of Johor’s EduCity in terms of strategic location, land availability as well as excellent logistical network,” said Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin bin Mohd Yassin, who was the guest of honour at the groundbreaking ceremony.

The 12ha freehold site in EduCity, Nusajaya, will be the second overseas MDIS campus and its largest to date. Its first campus abroad was set up in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, in 2008 for US$20 million (S$25.5 million).

“MDIS Malaysia represents another major step in the firm’s overall strategy to expand our global footprint,” said Dr R Theyvendran, Secretary-General of MDIS.

The Malaysia campus will offer nine diploma courses in business and accounting, information technology and mass communications.

The first phase of MDIS Malaysia is expected to be ready by 2015 to accommodate 2,000 students. Meanwhile, the first batch of about 100 Malaysian students will begin lessons in business management and mass communications at the end of this month at a temporary campus in Johor Bahru City Square, MDIS said. When fully completed in 2023, the campus will be able to enrol 10,000 students.

MDIS said initial enrolment will focus on Malaysian students, with admission of international students at a later phase. The institution is eyeing students from Africa and the Middle East for the Malaysia campus, said Dr Theyvendran.

Malaysia aims to have at least 200,000 international students pursuing higher education in the country by 2020, up from about 90,000 now.

“The education enclave in EduCity will make world-class education more accessible to Malaysians and other people in the region,” Mr Muhyiddin said. He added that EduCity will have institutions at pre-school, primary and secondary levels, making it an “integrated world-class academic hub”.

The 121ha EduCity@Iskandar is a major flagship development in Johor’s Iskandar area, and has attracted more than RM700 million in investments. At full capacity, EduCity is expected to admit 16,000 students.

Eleven educational institutions have committed to developing campuses there, according to EduCity’s website, while the University of Southampton, Newcastle University and Marlborough College Malaysia have already started full operations.

Singapore’s Raffles Education Corp is also developing an RM200 million campus at EduCity.

- Contributed by Lee Yen Nee  Today

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US-Syria drums of war — a familiar beat

The only solution for the Syrian issue is a political one and a peace conference of all actors may stop further bloodshed.

A HORRENDOUS attack with chemical weapons is alleged to have killed 1,429 people in a Damascus suburb on Aug 21.

Use of such chemical weapons is a flagrant violation of international law and the culprits must be hounded and herded to the International Criminal Court.

However, it is not clear who the real perpetrators are.

The Syrian government alleges that US-supported rebels carried out the attack to turn global sentiment against Syria. Obama pins the blame on Assad and is using this as a justification for a threatened war that circumvents the UN, like Bush before him.

The claims of both sides must be investigated impartially by the UN and there should be no resort to unilateral punishment before all facts are established. It is not in accordance with due process for the accusers to arrogate to themselves the role of adjudicators.

In the meantime, one must note that in March, an Independent Commission of Inquiry of the UN headed by Carla del Ponte had concluded that the nerve agent sarin was used by US-supported rebels and not the Syrian government.

It is also noteworthy that the weapons inspection team of the UN was in Syria at the invitation of Assad who is unlikely to have resorted to such an abomination with the UN watching over his shoulders.

The US and UK have a long, catalogued history of murderous lies to construct the pretext for war.

In August 1945, the US concealed the fact that Japan was actively negotiating surrender and went ahead to incinerate hundreds of thousands of civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in a brutal atomic attack.

The US invasion of Vietnam in August 1964 was founded on the deceitful lie that Vietnamese torpedo boats had attacked US ships in the Gulf of Tonkin. The war took the lives of millions of innocent Asians and 50,000 American combatants.

In 2003, lies and skewed facts about Saddam’s alleged weapons of mass destruction led to the pulverisation and conquest of Iraq. 

Similar deceitful warmongering led to the attacks and subjugation of Afghanistan and Libya. The Third World is now quite mindful of Western spin masters and their weapons of mass deception. 

Assad is on a winning wicket and Western allies are understandably eager to find any pretext to kill him like the way they did Saddam of Iraq and Gaddafi of Libya.

The US, EU and Israel are fomenting civil war in Syria that has so far killed 100,000 for various geopolitical reasons: to weaken Iran and Hezbollah who are the only remaining regional rivals of Israel; to thwart the proposed Iran-Syria oil pipeline; and to kill the plan to sell Iranian oil in currencies other than the almighty US dollar. The Syrian conflict is a proxy war by the US against Iran.

There is also the desire to consolidate an uncompromising version of corporatism that seeks total economic hegemony over the region. Observers have noted that “defence manufacturer” Lockheed Martin’s stock prices rose sharply since news proliferated of the chemical weapons attack!

Any attack on Syria by a “coalition of the willing” on so-called humanitarian grounds will be a gross violation of the UN Charter.

Except for the narrow exception of unilateral self-defence under Article 51, the Security Council of the UN is the only authority empowered by chapter VII, Articles 39-42 to use force against a nation that is guilty of a threat to the peace, breach of the peace or act of aggression.

American-style unilateralism and exceptionalism pose significant potential for abuse. This is evidenced by Nato’s destruction of Gaddafi’s regime in 2011 under the guise of a limited humanitarian operation. One must also note that the terror of war necessarily results in thousands of civilian casualties.

Secretary of State John Kerry’s description of the Damascus chemical attack as a “moral obscenity” is very touching but reeks of hypocrisy. It is well known that the US used napalm and agent orange in Vietnam; depleted uranium in Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Bosnia; and white phosphorus bombs in Fallujah in 2004.

Saddam Hussein’s chemical attacks against Iran were with Washington’s full knowledge and support. In fact the chemical weapons, the feeder stock and equipment were supplied by the US, UK, Germany and Italy.

While the world has been focused on the horror in Damascus, US supported rebels have carried out a campaign of ethnic cleansing against 40,000 Syrian Kurds to force them to flee across the Tigris into Iraq.

There is not a word of Western condemnation of this atrocity.

The threatened missile attacks against Syria would cost thousands of innocent lives. In typical American style of justice, people will be butchered in order to save them from a dictator!

Weapon depots will explode, resulting in horrendous collateral damage. There is no certainty that Bashar Al-Assad will be toppled.

A broader conflict may result if Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Iran react against Israel and America’s bases in the Middle East.

US military intervention in Syria’s civil war will, therefore, be an enormous mistake. It will not promote US interests. The use of missiles can change the military balance but it cannot resolve the underlying historic, ethnic, religious and tribal issues that are fuelling this conflict.

The only solution for the Syrian issue is a political one. A peace conference of all actors may stop further bloodshed.

President Obama must remember that you can start a war when you will; you can’t end it when you please!

Reflecting On The Law - contributed by Shad Saleem Faruqi
Shad Saleem Faruqi is Professor of Law at UiTM. The views expressed here are entirely his own.  

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