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__Nation & World Malaysian twin towers open today by Alvin Ung Associated Press Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — Cumulus clouds billow outside the window like silent chariots. A falcon perch es at the pinnacle, the bird’s talons skittering across polished steel. Nearly three years after it was crowned the world’s tallest skyscraper, the 1,480-fool Petronas Twin Tow ers officially opened today to coincide with Malaysia’s Independence Day celebrations. The builders say their 88-story skyscraper is more than just a record-breaking feat. It is a symbol of Malaysia’s coming-of-age at the close of the millen nium, a sky-high ego boost for the 42-year-old Third World nation. “The Petronas Towers symbolize the new spirit of Malaysia, ” said Azizan Zainal Abidin, Petronas chair man. “ Building such a massive project has given us con fidence. We can do what others thought we couldn’t do,” he said. The Petronas Towers beat out Chicago’s Sears Tow er, which, at 1,450 feet, held the tallest-building title from 1973 until 1996. The title is also claimed by the CN Tower in Toronto: It stands at 1,815 feet, but that includes a tall antenna. Tens of thousands thronged to the capital today, and every top Malaysian leader attended the celebra tions. “Today is a good day to be Malaysian,” said shop keeper Ismail Omar, 38, carrying his 2-year-old son, Abdul Rahman — named after the Southeast Asian na tion’s first prime minister. Petronas, the national oil and gas monopoly, start v* . . ed in a wooden shack amid rubber trees, then pros pered in the 70s under the New Economic Policy, an affirmative action plan to advance Malays while pro moting economic growth among all races. Over the next two decades, Petronas boomed. Managed by a group of elite Malays groomed under the NEP, the company discovered gas fields in the South China Sea. It grew to 100 subsidiaries in two dozen countries and crept into Fortune magazine’s list of the world’s 500 biggest companies. Its offices sprouted in Kuala Lumpur as Malay vil lagers thronged into the city for factory jobs. In the early 1990s, as the economy boomed, the government charged Petronas with the task of build ing itself a massive headquarters in the heart of the city — as a gift to Malaysians. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad took a pas sionate interest in the $1 billion project, visiting the construction site every Sunday after the groundbreaking in August 1991. The average Malaysian is barred from visiting the towers, iVhich are occupied by Petronas subsidiaries and multinational companies. But everything else in the Kuala Lumpur City Center, as the 100-acre development is called, is open to the public. Malaysians are free to gawk at pricey Laura Ash ley scarves and Salvatore Ferragamo shoes in the coun try’s largest mall. Or they can visit the art gallery and Petrosains, an indoor science museum that simulates life on an oil rig. On the weekends, thousands of families throng to the 50-acre park surrounded by jogging paths and lined with 2,000 trees. The call to prayers are broadcast from a gleaming marble mosque that holds 6,000 Mus lims. Meanwhile, well-heeled Malaysians watch in ternational musicians perform in a Viennese-flavored symphony hall with a cantilevered roof and the laigest pipe organ in Asia. Modern-day oil barons dine at the Malaysian Pe troleum Club, a black-tie affair serviced by private el evators that whiz to the 41st floor in 20 seconds flat. Tux-clad waiters serve ratatouille on German table ware. Opposition leaders claim that such extravagance makes a mockery of Malays. “The pride of the Malay civilization comes through our culture, education and morality,” said Syed Husin Ali, president of the People’s Party of Malaysia. “It’s immoral to use Petronas money, which is the peo ple’s money, to build ostentatious monuments to please some individuals and to bail out companies.” During the Asian economic crisis, Petronas spent $220 million to buy 11 tankers from a company con trolled by Mahathir’s son, Mirzan. It is also finalizing its purchase of Proton, Malaysia’s ailing national car company. But as Malaysia celebrates 42 years of indepen dence from British rule, the government’s top thinkers are jubilant. “Our society was always a primary candidate for the dustbin of history,” said Noordin Sopiee, the chair man of the Institute of Strategic and International Stud ies. “As a people — despite our stupidity, despite our idiocies and despite our grave inadequacies — we have been able to do the impossible.” Anti-smoking efforts lack innovation by Andrew Buchanan Associated Press Cl-BCAGO — U.s. medical school grad uates are woefully unprepared to help patients quit smoking, the nation’s most deadly preventable health-care problem, a study concludes. The researchers surveyed nearly every accredited medical school in the country and found very little course work devoted to nicotine dependence. They called the statistics distressing, given National Cancer Institute recom mendations from seven years ago that training in how to kick the habit be made mandatory at every U.S. medical school. The findings appear in today’s Jour nal of the American Medical Associa tion. “The public health community is active and aggressive in anti-smoking ef forts, but there’s nothing innovative go ing on” at medical schools, said Dr. Lin da Feny, director of preventive medicine at Loma Linda University School of Medicine in California. “It starts right at the ground level in medical school.” Cigarette smoking kills more than 400,000 Americans each year, accord ing to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One in every five deaths in the United States is smoking-related, CDC figures show. Ferry cited a 1991 survey showing that few doctors felt their formal med ical training prepared them to help pa tients stop smoking, and another that found that few physicians advise their patients about kicking the habit. Ferry and colleagues looked at re sponses from 122 of 126 medical schools about course offerings in the 1996-97 school year. Not all schools answered every question. Thirty-two out of 102 medical schools dedicated an average of less than one hour of classroom time per year in smoking cessation techniques. There was more tobacco-related in struction in the first two years of med ical school. But only three schools re ported having a required course devoted to tobacco education in the third and fourth years. And almost 70 percent of schools — 83 of 120 — did not require any smoking cessation training at all in those two years, when students theoretically are learning how to apply their knowl edge to patients. The authors acknowledged that more smoking cessation instruction could be taking place in informal settings in the final years of medical school. SAT's gain points, remain last nationally by Jennifer Holland Associated Press CfflCE, S.C. — Scholastic Assessment Test scores released Tuesday had the same old ring; South Carolina was once again last in the nation. That was despite a three-point increase in average scores to 954 — the first increase in South Car olina in two years. The national average dropped one point to 1,016. State Education Superintendent Inez Tenenbaum said the key to raising South Carolina’s scores on the college entrance exam depends on a state-led initia —u _t a t no a «\x/a AtMnr U I U) UUV1I W U1V UUUVUUUli V » VUiVllk I tvv V* */V >• • 'V >« »» I *■ ’ V * V*J ^ vtm from 1983 to 1988. Since that state-led effort was abandoned,- the results have been sporadic — up and down, with no steady progress,” she said. South Car olina students turned in slightly higher math scores this year with an average of 475, up two points from 1998. The national average fell one point to 511. The state’s average scores on verbal skills, reading and vocabulary, also gained a point to 479 this year compared with the national average of 505. Tenenbaum credit ed the increase to initiatives to help local school districts improve students’ performances on standardized tests, including state funding for every sophomore to take the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test. The Education Department co-sponsors a statewide SAT competition, with each high school choosing a test coach to work with students. The department also is expected to form a partnership with The College Board, which administers the SAT, to offer more test preparation materials and training for teachers, Tenenbaum said. Tenenbaum and Gov. Jim Hodges announced the statewide results at Brook land-Cayce High School, where the average score was 989 —12 points better than last year and 35 points higher than the state average. “The trend is the right trend you want,” Hodges said. “ Wve just got to stay focused with this as a goal.” Several school districts posted a decrease in test scores in 1999 compared with last year. Terrell’s Bay High School in Marion District 3 dropped 137 points last year to an average of 731. Superintendent Everette Dean Jr. was surprised to see the dramatic drop, but said there can be great fluctuation between each year because of the small number of students taking the test. Just 13 seniors, or 33 percent of the senior class, took the exam in 1999, com pared with 17 seniors in 1998. , Dean said the high school offers SAT preparation classes as well as other ac tivities, including a simulated SAT on computers, which is offered in several schools across the state. On Tuesday. Tenenbaum watched Brookland-Cayce junior Misty Gurley tackle a geometry drill on the special computer software to prep students for the test, “It makes you feel better about yourself, and you realize you can accomplish something,” Gurley said about the practice. Tenenbaum also said the state saw improvement in Advanced Placement ex ams, which allow high school students to earn college credit. The number of tests scoring high enough to gain college credit was 8,239, up from 8,090 last year. “Our SAT and AP scores, are improving, and that’s good news,” Tenenbaum, said. “Wfe still have a long way to go to catch up with the rest of the nation, how- * ever.” — M1 "' M Do you love music? Are you looking for extra holiday money? If so, stop by the Bose® Corporation booth at the USC Career Fair! We are currently hiring Sales Representatives to work at our beautiful new call center in Forest Acres. You will be responsible for handling incoming calls, building rapport with customers and providing information to help the customer make a purchasing decision. Day and evening temporary positions are available. You can work full-time or part-time, and must be available to work one weekend shift. Strong communication skills and some computer experience are required. Competitive pay, a fun work environment, and world class products make Bose® a great place to work. If you are unable to attend the Career Fair, please send your resume to: Bose Corporation - 3600 Forest Drive, 4th Floor Columbia, SC 29204 or call (803) 738-3600 fax (803) 790-6434 An equal opportunity employer. ;