-NiE ,
Elementary We are Malaysia
NiE Activity 1
2 AUGUST 2017
3
Together, we can make it right WHAT would happen to our country if everyone only cared about themselves? Sometimes in society, we see people being selfish and inconsiderate of others. For example, there are some drivers who double-park, causing inconvenience to others. There are also some who throw rubbish out of their car windows,
A.
without caring for the environment. Such attitudes and behaviours can bring social disharmony and cause damage to our country. It can also affect our image and reputation. We don’t want foreign tourists to visit our country and leave with a bad impression, do we?
Read the following passage, which is adapted from an article published in The Star on July 3, 2017. Then, answer the questions below before discussing them in class.
Critical thinking ● Identify ● Reason
● Organise
Fishmonger: Nobody got sick or died, so it’s all right PETALING JAYA: Dishonest fishmongers and fishing boat operators are taking advantage of the rising fish prices to push pufferfish fillets into the market. Currently, the fish are taken back to shore by hundreds of kilogrammes to be sold as “crystal fish”, after they are filleted. In Penang, Kedah and Perak, pufferfish fillets are used by seafood porridge and bee hoon soup hawkers as “fried fish meat”. The fillets are also widely used as a component of appetisers in Chinese wedding feasts at hotels and restaurants, particularly in Penang. A source said pufferfish fillets could be half the price of other fish fillets. “Hawkers and restaurant owners used to use Spanish mackerel (tenggiri) and grouper fillets, but their prices have risen tremendously over the last two years,” said the source. “By turning to pufferfish fillets, hawkers and restaurant owners are able to reduce their costs by half,” said the source. The danger is that buyers, such as housewives and others who would not suspect any seafood would be toxic, are completely unaware. “They are told that it is a kind of edible fish, with some calling it ‘crystal fish’,” the source added. A Penang fishmonger said the fillets were a hot item as they were delicious when fried. “We dare not tell them they are from pufferfish. People are sceptical of eating pufferfish as they are known to be poisonous,” said the seller who believed that pufferfish were edible if the toxin was removed. “I have been selling this for the past few months, and nobody has gotten sick or died,” he said. “Therefore, I think it’s safe to eat.”
Creative thinking ● Imagine ● Connect ● Brainstorm
Problem solving ● Recreate
● Present
Communicating ● Oral ● Written ● Non-verbal ● Aural
Collaborating ● Listen ● Contribute respectfully
1.
● Attain goal
Name the people who are pushing pufferfish fillets into the market. What are they sold as? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
2.
What is the main factor for doing so? _______________________________________________________________
3.
In the northern states, what dishes have pufferfish fillets been used in? _______________________________________________________________
4.
Why have hawkers and restaurant owners started using pufferfish fillets? _______________________________________________________________
5.
Why did the Penang fishmonger say he was wary of telling the buyers that the fillets were from pufferfish? _______________________________________________________________
6.
“I have been selling this for the past few months, and nobody has gotten sick or died,” he said. “Therefore, I think it’s safe to eat.”
B.
Fishermen unloading and sorting their haul of pufferfish. Each of the blue tubs holds between 100 and 120kg of the fish.
Imagine that you had a chance to communicate with the Penang fishmonger featured in the article. What would you say to him? How do you think he would respond or react to you? In groups of four, write out the script for both parties. Then, play out the scenario in class, with a member representing your group while another representing the fishmonger.
EXAMPLE
What do you think of the Penang fishmonger’s attitude? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
NiE Activity 2 Critical thinking ● Identify ● Reason
● Organise
Communicating ● Oral
● Aural
Creative thinking ● Imagine ● Connect
● Invent
Collaborating ● Listen ● Attain goal ● Contribute respectfully
Problem solving ● Recreate
● Present
Being Malaysians also means caring for each other, regardless of colour or creed. Using pictures and words taken from The Star, create a poster themed “We Are One Big Family”. The poster should show Malaysians reaching out to each other or coming together for a common good. Do this activity on a sheet of A3 paper. Once you are done, present your poster in class.