Congrats to Datuk Seri Najib Razak for chalking up 65% popularity rating from his first month of 45% as Prime Minister but he must be fully conscious that he has the lowest popularity rating of all six Malaysian Prime Ministers – including his predecessors Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak, Tun Hussein, Tun Mahathir and Tun Abdullah – in the “First 100 Days”.
In the latest poll conducted among 1,060 registered voters by the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research between June 19 and July 1, his approval rating has risen to 65 per cent as compared to 45 per cent in mid-May (a month after he became Prime Minister) and 42 per cent just before taking over the premiership from Tun Abdullah on April 3, 2009.
In the latest opinion poll, 22 per cent were dissatisfied with his performance while 13 per cent were undecided.
Seventy-four per cent of Malays polled were satisfied with his performance. The level of support among Chinese and Indians was 48 per cent and 74 per cent respectively.
Although Najib has cause to celebrate for his improved popularity ratings and attribute it to a growing number of Malaysians who like some of his policy initiatives and pronouncements, he will be making a grave error to ignore the fact that he has the lowest popularity rating of all Malaysian Prime Ministers on the “First 100 Days” which falls on Saturday, 11th July 2009 for him.
In his first year as Prime Minister, Abdullah’s popularity rating was at the high-water mark of 91% in November 2004, and if a poll had been conducted in Abdullah “First 100 Days” in February 2004, it would have been an stratospheric high of 97 or even 98%.
However, the grim lesson for Najib is that Abdullah’s dizzlingly-high popularity rating, which enabled the latter to sweep the 2004 general elections with an unprecedented victory in 91 per cent of the parliamentary seats, was drastically slashed and more than halved to 42% in July 2008, explaining the reason for the political tsunami of the March 8, 2008 general elections sweeping Barisan Nasional out of power in five states and depriving BN of its hitherto unbroken two-thirds parliamentary majority.
Two critical questions for Najib popularity ratings from from future opinion polls are:
- How high could Najib’s popularity rating reach and could it ever peak to Abdullah’s levels; and
- When Najib’s popularity rating will begin a new descent.
If a popularity poll had been conducted on Najib’s full Hundred Days as Prime Minister, it would have to take into account two major events:
- Najib’s announcement on June 30 on measures for the liberalisation of the economy which fall far short of moving the country towards an internationally competitive economy to face the challenges of globalisation; and
- Scandal of the RM24 million Istana Khir Toyo, though the former Selangor Mentri Besar claimed it was only RM3.5 million.
Najib said the previous week that the Chinese in Malaysia are most concerned about education, economy, religion and crime and he believes that if these four issues can be resolved, the Chinese will continue to support the Barisan Nasional government.
It is not just the Chinese, but all Malaysians regardless of race, who are also concerned about these four issues of education, economy, religion and crime. What must be added are corruption and Malaysian citizenship rights.
Najib said yesterday that his 1Malaysia concept with the “People First, Performance Now” tagline is all about “every single Malaysian having the right place under the Malaysian sun”. He invited the people to give their views and ideas towards “achieving one dream, one people and one nation”.
For the past 43 years, I have been talking about a united Malaysia where every Malaysian, regardless of race, religion or territory, has a equal place under the Malaysian sun.
This is the first time I have heard a Prime Minister talking about ensuring the rightful place of every Malaysian under the Malaysian sun.
But it is not enough for such talk to emanate from Putrajaya as for more than four decades, advocacy of a united Malaysia where all Malaysians have an equal and rightful place under the Malaysian sun had been distorted, vilified and even demonised.
Can Najib inspire and convince Malaysians that his 1Malaysia can unite Malaysians and be translated into government policy and concrete action on the ground, making all Malaysians regardless of race or religion feel that they are one united people?
With the scraping of PPSMI, his popularity rating may dive down to 6.5%
Some people said the opinion polls as conducted when it was 45% was unreliable?
Now at 65%, is it acceptable?
Is this kind of the opinion polls really relevant when it is an opinion polls of the rotten system?
pw: riers dread
That is an unusual jump of percentage. He can get 100% for all I care but I still would not believe him. That is because he did not clear his name, and he has not been forth coming to the Rakyat of Malaysia.
“Can Najib inspire and convince Malaysians that his 1Malaysia can unite Malaysians and be translated into government policy and concrete action on the ground, making all Malaysians regardless of race or religion feel that they are one united people?”
Sure he can, hell even I can, by CHEATING.
The issue really is can Najib keep rolling. No.. This is a guy who when push comes to shove, he blinks. What the poll result show is methodotical campaigning, tehnocracy. It will not last. He will blow it away, squander it away as befit the prodigal child that he is. Its only a question of when.
If things turn for the worst, watch him turn for the worst…
if najib has gain 65%, can someone like uncle lim or pk top-men pujuk pujuk najib to hold AN EARLY ELECTION WHILE HE’S HOT??? don’t tell me pk members are scare of the outcome.
I find this one funny … when it was 45% LKS was so happy … hammer hammer hammer … now its 65% how la? Its a proper poll … PM is getting more support. He does not care if those here and a few forums hate him too hell. What is important is the majority in Malaysia.
This should send a signal to PR to buck up and not for LKS to start with all the above nonsense write up … about PM still not this and PM still not that and whatever else.
To underestimate this man will be PR’s doom. He has the money, he has advisors, he is vicious enough and he knows how to play with the media, he plays it well too.
newchief … what early election? You crazy ar? Not yet make enough money laaaa … needs a lot for election ok! Hahahahahaaha …
It is stated that the switch will take place in 2012, and it affects secondary school too.
The switch can begin in 2010, i.e. immediately at the beginning of the next school a year, starting from standard one. As for the secondary school, the use of English as a medium of instruction does make sense, and the policy should stay. Students in the primary schools should get prepared for the conversion to the use of English in secondary school. It would make sense for those now in Primary 4 and above to continue with English so that the use of English would not be interrupted. For those in Primary 2 and 3, the switch to mother tongue should begin next year, and the use of English terms for the subject should be introduced in Primary 5 and 6 so that they would be able to get used to a complete switch beginning in secondary school.
The argument against the use of English was its use in primary school when the students did not have the necessary command of the language. Further students in the primary school required time to build a good foundation for their first language, which should remain the medium of instruction for all subjects taught in primary school. Besides, one needed a familiar language to thinking along the logics used in learning arithmetic. Surely, the students would require time to pick up the English language so as to be prepared to use it for mathematics and science in secondary school.
It would be a step backwards to stop using English in secondary school. For them, the problem of poor results might lie mainly in the implementation, and the unexpected poor standards of English among the students. The solution lies in strengthening their English rather than removing it.
The Minister of Education should be praised for the courage he has in going against the policy established by TDM. He is much better than Kerismuddin who should have prevented the sufferings imposed on four million students in the country. Kerismuddin should use the Keris on himself as would a Japanese Minister.
Talking about popularity, this is in MalaysiaKini:
At the first sodomy trial against Anwar Ibrahim 10 years ago, thousands gathered at the courts but at today’s trial, fewer than 100 appeared.
Has the fire waned … maybe people are tired now. Same old probems only, fight fight fight … charge charge charge …
Base on what he got this 65%! 1000 registered voters from Sabah or Sarawak? Wah lau yeh! Like that also can ah! Big publicity! If that’s the case, the Fishmonger in Kelantan surely can get 85% lah.
The problems in the society continue, and are getting even worst, the corruption scandals revealed one by one to the public, the tax payers have no good life and education due to this, someone dare to claim such a high score! Pariah!
The Armageddon is getting closer and closer! Why? ‘Human error’!
‘Sorry, NOt human error, it is BN big error !!!!!1
LKS writes: Can Najib inspire and convince [65% of] Malaysians …?
Apparently. The thing I worry about it the validity of the statistics. Given the standard of Malaysian politicians, isn’t the poll a bit like asking people in a famine-stricken country if they’re satisfied with instant noodles?
Is Malaysian ‘satisfactory’ the same as ‘satisfactory’ in another country? Hold on, I’m confused. You refer to ‘popularity’, ‘satisfaction’ and ‘approval’, so which one is it?
Did he really say “every single Malaysian having the right place[emphasis mine] under the Malaysian sun”? That’s not even subtle.
Jib’s Law:
Every single Malaysian have the right place under the Malaysian sun, but some Malaysians have the more righter places under the Malaysian sun.
k1980 … sounds like Animal Farm … hehehehehee
okay, now that Mongolian can call for the dissolution of Perak state assembly, since he has 65% of winning chance; and let’s see whether the survey reflect its true figure or not..
Heartiest Congratulations to Datuk Seri Najib…Let us all pray together for peace and harmony in a united 1Malaysia….Tun Dr Mahathir..you are the BEST Prime Minister Msia ever had…
hey cintanegara, why are u & SpeakUp logging in and out of this blog using the same IP address? :rolleyes:
Najib used the right language to describe the situation now. The right place is just like prescribed seats, it does not say that all seats are equal.
If I were him, I’ll immediately call for a general election before he loses his “popularity”. Hit while the iron is hot, so to speak. I’m sure the BN will win hands down.
i feel Speakup doesn’t understand my comment or did he fail in his english. i simply want to find out is najib a better man than what he is. is the rakyat changing thoughts and has heart for him since he’s a good talker.
i’m sure Speakup is his biggest fan bcs he dares not to face new election. he’s afraid his idol might fall!!! the excuse of not making enough money makes me laugh. doesn’t he knows all along, we are under bn and YOU DIDN’T MAKE ENOUGH MONEY!!!!???? better sleep on the pillow and ask yourself whether our government has made us rich or make themselves rich instead.
tell najib to cancel nst and let it be absorbed to schools during the holidays and pay Speakup the diffrence . thank me for that if that dream comes true.
///On Monday, Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and officials from his Ministry had met me to brief me on what the Government had already decided to do.
Although my views were sought, they are not reflected in the decision.
I have made my views known with regards to this issue in this blog. I will not repeat it but readers can go here.///– TDM at chedet.co.cc
The Education minister and the government officials wasted their time talking to TDM. Obviously government policy cannot be expected to please everybody, and why did they bother to please TDM? The person who had caused sufferings to four million students over the past 6 years was privileged to be briefed on the change of policy. The government was afraid to move even when they were correct technically. We cannot expect the government to reform when vested interests had the protection of TDM. It shows once again longevity of the wrong person is harmful to the country.
Like it or not, Najib has it “easy”
1) Badawi has set such a low standard to better, even Borat can be a better prime minister. After 50 years of mismanagement, there is so much weaknesses, wreckage, damaged goods so it is a matter of picking something up and do some common sense thingy. Even visiting China and China Town can make you look attractive.
..and I have an idea where he gets (some of) his ideas from ….
http://wangsamajuformalaysia.blogspot.com/2009/07/blog-that-najib-reads.html
2) removal of 30% thingy is not such a big deal. No one really care too much about it, even the malays. I mean, do you see MASS DEMONSTRATION by controlled race-champion groups, UiTM, Pewaris, Gagasan whatever….they certainly made TREMENDOUS GROWTH from protesting emotionally about Khaid Ibrahim’s tiny weeny little 10%
3) if you control the court, the police, the armed forces, the speakers, the civil servants, the main stream press, except perhaps your wife, you can realise the Malaysian dream.
Anyway, my conclusion is that if there is no pressure from the rakyat, bloggers and Pakatan Rakyat, do you think BN bother to change? Just look at the same persons before and after 8 March
Very sorry to Brother Kit Siang for getting out of your topic because I can’t stop the music.
“I will take a three-day break from the 36-day “three questions a day” session and 108 questions to decide whether to continue with the daily questioning on the PKFZ scandal, and if so, in what new form”.
Brother Lim Kit Siang, I CAN’T STOP THE MUSIC. Perhaps, I will gamble my luck with the MCA secretary-general, Wong Foon Meng for answers over the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal. STAR (5 July 2009) headlined: “MCA to address public complaints effectively”.
My complaint #4 for 8 July 2009 to the MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau is “are the people of Malaysia entitled to know more about the PKFZ “mother of all scandals”? If yes, why is Ong Ta Kut withholding or hiding information from the people and keeping the people guessing over the PKFZ scandal everyday?
why only 48% from the malaysian chinese inspite of liberalism from Najib…..
Tonberry Says: hey cintanegara, why are u & SpeakUp logging in and out of this blog using the same IP address? :rolleyes:
If you are party to info like that you really ought to keep it to yourself, in the interests of preserving the illusion of Internet anonymity.
Some Malaysian networks are behind proxies using single IP addresses. I posted from one today: DiGi. Every person using that network would appear to be using the same IP address.
Of course, if SpeakUp and cintanegara are both posting from luberoom[dot]najibsdungeon[dot]com, that’s different – you could bend the rules in the ‘national interest’.
I don’t believe this survey. Every single person I have met over the last 1 year is anti-Najib.
Perhaps Merdeka centre was paid to doctor the results by interviwing some orang asli and old kampong folks in Johor.
Tun Dr. M. would probably bring down Najis’ popularity as a kind of retaliation like what he did to Abdullah.
Tun Dr. M. has just expressed his displeasure over the issue that the English language had been withdrawn in the teaching of science and maths.
I doubt the assessment is properly conducted. Public perception is still bad.
1. How to forgive and forget someone who threaten to bath his kris with Chinese blood?
2. Eat 500 million commision
3. Altantuya
“How high could Najib’s popularity rating reach and could it ever peak to Abdullah’s levels.”
I find the question rather trite. Abdullah’s peak level was a protest against Tun Mahathir’s 22 years of dictatorship, not a reflection of Abdullah’s performance which at that stage, he had not shown much, if any, and eventually proved to be nothing… cakap kosong, so to speak. We gave all our support to Abdullah but he betrayed everyone. No one will ever give that kind of support to anyone any more, not even to LKS, if he were to become Prime Minister. Once bitten, twice shy, so to speak.
I think Najib deserves that increased popularity rating. After all, he has done so much more than his predecessor and he seems to be rather dedicated. This, however, does not mean that he has given up the idea of Ketuanan Melayu. Once UMNO is back to shape, we will be back to Square One… so much, I am very sure, dead sure even. All I can say is that he is trying to ensure UMNO’s survival… not that he believes in 1Malaysia… and he is working hard and doing a rather convincing job at that.
The numbers are probably a good rough indication of trend, and as usual how Malaysians are generally hangat hangat tahi ayam. Now that the ‘mood for change’ after 2008 has faded, Malaysian people are content to going back to the same old.
Indians approval rating at 74%? This should come as no surprise as Indians have generally been anti-opposition and pro-BN for a long time. That is why HINDRAF so easily turned against PR. HINDRAF couldn’t care less about PR, as long as it is able to wrangle out ‘concessions’ for itself.
To all those that constantly talk about the next GE as if it was a sure thing, they better think again. PR made enormous gains from protest votes in 2008. However as time goes by, people will probably fall back to their normal voting patterns.
PR needs to think about presenting a vision for the future of the nation that people can buy into. Just expecting anti BN sentiment/votes next round may not be enough.
Newchief … I was being sarcastic la, haiyooo … of course PM will never do it no matter what. There is too much money to be made by the powers that be and a lot needs to be paid out for an election to pay people off la. Najib is my idol? You are totally amazing … some of you here see the Bogeyman at every corner. Talk about being so
OrangRojak … looks like Tonberry has no idea that sometimes its only one pipe with one number but MANY users. Does he realise Streamyx is like cr@p today?
Let’s not be carried away by the euphoria of Najib’s well-publicized economic liberalization.
But be rest-assured, what the right hand giveth, the left hand taketh away. Do you think the removal of the 30% equity requirement is so great? But it is to be replaced by the introduction of a 50% public spread. So expect this aspect of the economic liberalization to be rigorously enforced. No wonder the UMNOputras have not come out with any outward howl of protest because they know that the status quo will still remain but in another format. They are secretly smiling with satisfaction.
The only odd man out with a discordant note is Hadi Awang who is still caught in a time warp.
How reliable are these stats? Before we get carried away with figures like ‘74% of Indians’, were the in-breeding categories self-reported? Because I’m not used to forms asking me my race, I always lie if I have to choose a pedigree in Malaysia. Also – of a 1,000 respondents, how many of them were Indian? Must be a lot less than 100, right? That 74% could have been Samy Vellu’s fan club on a coach tour.
OrangRojak … the last poll was conducted by a reliable source, something called the Merdeka Centre I think. I might be wrong. I do not think its that bias, if it were LKS would have lambasted it.
The question is how much of the 20% improvement is due to PR’s mis-steps or discordance. People are making a choice between two competing “products”, i.e., BN or PR. When the product performance gap narrows, so does the purchase intention. So, if PR wants to aspire to Putrajaya, then it better get its act together and regain the performance superiority. It’s time for PR to shape up.
It’s quite a surprise,how quickly PM NR managed to gain popularity up to 65% from his first month low of 45% in the beginning.I think,he’s still unpopular and my rating for him as at now is 34% in general.What has he accomplished to date ? Billions ringgit scandals remain unsolved,his personal scandals are still a mystery,Perak illegal power grab remains unsolved and crime rates still go up higher and higher.It’s really ironical how people (those being polled) could have given him a thumb up !. Is it typical of malaysian who can so easily forget all these scandals and corruptions under this man’s watch and when ask about an opinion of his rating as a prime minister,still give a smile and answer he’s good ?.Are we still in bolehland ?. Lets be real.
It should be interesting to know what questions were asked in the survey. If it was simply a question of whether one is satisfied with the performance, the results as given might be correctly tabulated, but the conclusion might not be obvious.
If the people simply have no confident that Najib is capable of handling his job, an absence of serious blunders would be translated as satisfaction. On the other hand, if people have high expectation of him, then he would have to perform well to gain the vote of satisfaction.
Are Malaysians easily satisfied? The Malays voted repeatedly for UMNO to return to power despite public knowledge of corruptions. Najib has done nothing against corruption since taking up the PM post. The Chinese could not expect anything better than what Najib declared at the Chinese Assembly hall in 1987; it might be satisfying that there was no repeat performance. The Indian voters might be selected mainly form Bangsar in KL where Najib did a walk around. Who knows whether Mamaks are classified under Indian column for the survey?
Though the arithmetic used in the survey could be correct. We need to know the content of the statistics.
Frankyapp … Malaysians do forget really fast.
“…he has the lowest popularity rating of all six Malaysian Prime…” because he started office with the biggest controveries/baggage that the other PMs were n ot handicapped at the outset.
Out of the 6 in the race for popularity as PMs, Najib started his race with a big iron ball chained to his ankle (before the starting point). He started from a lower base of expectations!
So if, in spite of this huge handicap not shared by the other 5 in the beginning of their respective terms of office, then the rise of Najib’s approval rating from 45 per cent in mid-May to present 65% (assuming the polls methods cannot be faulted) is impressive, and suggestive that he or rather his advisers and public relations people are -from public relations standpoint- doing the right things.
By the way when Tonberry said ” hey cintanegara, why are u & SpeakUp logging in and out of this blog using the same IP address?” I have impression that, according to Tonberry,(which I don’t share at all) cintanegara and SpeakUp are one and same person using different niks/handles via same computer/IP to make pro BN/anti PR comments. :)
Jeff … I am NOT a schizophrenic!!! ROFL
I believe that Najib’s rise in popularity is well deserved and reflects the general mood of the people. There does seem to be a support shift back to BN since Najib took over. It’s unfair for LKS to compare his approval ratings vs our previous PMs as Najib took over the premiership at a time when BN’s support was at a historic low which was translated in GE12’s results.
However, the critical item that lies ahead now is on the implementation of his new policies & introduction of more reform moves. People want to see real action and not just talk. If he can execute his policies well with real impact to the people, I have no doubts that his ratings will rise further.
I still think that the careful selection of the 1000 people by Merdeka poll is simply does not reflex even the sligthest of the sligthest 25 million rakyat’s opinion through out the country. It’s simply a gimmick.No matter what you guys said and would say,I just don’t buy it .
Lets see they do UMNO do the survey at pasar malam stalls and coffee shops…talking to the patrons.
The real prove can easily be solved…declaring snap 13th GE.
He can prove the survey is correct and get voters to endorse him as PM.
It is also so hypocritical in everything they do.
Give them a smart suggestion.. to kill two birds with one stone…also fall into deaf ears.
LKS have given thousand of great suggestions…good for country …good for Malaysians..also twisted to something else.
Expect UMNO to respect voters and Malaysians…you may as well expect all my dogs greet me “good morning papa” in perfect English. This is my style to say..it’s impossible…UMNO is a racialist party..arrogant and managed by crooked hypocrites..who must not loose governing…or else…so many will will go to jail for life.
To them..winning elections is survival.
Loosing is not an option.
Loosing voters they are.
Do Anwar up..first move.
Create tensions…provocations…second move.
Keep acting and fooling Malaysians…to win votes…third move.
All fail and show signs…UMNO is finished…what will b their final move?
Lets see UMNO do the survey at pasar malam stalls and coffee shops…talking to the patrons.
The real prove can easily be solved…declaring snap 13th GE.
He can prove the survey is correct and get voters to endorse him as PM.
It is also so hypocritical in everything they do.
Give them a smart suggestion.. to kill two birds with one stone…also fall into deaf ears.
LKS have given thousand of great suggestions…good for country …good for Malaysians..also twisted to something else.
Expect UMNO to respect voters and Malaysians…you may as well expect all my dogs greet me “good morning papa” in perfect English. This is my style to say..it’s impossible…UMNO is a racialist party..arrogant and managed by crooked hypocrites..who must not loose governing…or else…so many will will go to jail for life.
To them..winning elections is survival.
Loosing is not an option.
Loosing voters they are.
Do Anwar up..first move.
Create tensions…provocations…second move.
Keep acting and fooling Malaysians…to win votes…third move.
All fail and show signs…UMNO is finished…what will b their final move?
The discontinuation of the teaching of maths and science in English has to be the most stupid move of the Najib administration. They have pawned the future competitiveness of this country for short term political expediency. Do the Malays not know that the children of ministers go to international schools ?
They say that it’s because the standard of English never really improved after 6 years. Instead of figuring out why, they would rather revert back to Bahasa.
Go back to the stone age, Muhyiddin. That way, you don’t have to compete with anybody.
It is a total disaster to revert teaching of Math and Science to BM. Rather than shifting back to BM, more subjects should be taught in English. I am appalled by the decision announced recently and very disappointed by those misguided politicians and certain groups and claimed to be champion of the people.
However, i am quite happly to see the liberalisation of equity ownership in PLC as the nation forge ahead of attraching direct foreign investment which has plunged to record low in recent years. As the nation faces stiff competition in the globalised economies, English language will be more widely used than ever, reverting to national language is difintely do more harm than good for the nation to build a knowledgeable and competitive human resources which is one of the core competitive factors.
Hey, I can also conduct my own survey and obtain a 100% popularity rating on my performance. It all boils down to whom you surveyed. Had he surveyed just the Kamunting inmates, he would had got 0% popularity rating on his performance
who cares whether he has 65% or 45% pr?
look at our neighbour,Indonesia,firstly,they vote for their president;secondly,indelible ink was used.
is najis a real PM?did you have the direct vote?
later on,hisaputin and kj will be the future PM,it’s just like a monarchy,always the relatives to be succeeded……………..
malaysia is doomed!
2B fully accepted by all Malaysians as PM
NR n RM must sue the French reporter for defaming them
and win the case
And order a retrial of Baginda R
with no restriction of evidence used in the trial
I dont know really. Something makes me suspect the survey sampling that was used. So you can say I share OrangRojak’s sentiment on this. And of course frankyapp could be right in saying that the sampling size does not seem large enough to reflect the entire voting population. Survey questions and they way are framed could also have an impact on the survey outcome. Apart from these issues there are not much I can comment on regarding reliability / accuracy of the result.
I think it is good news. He is another sleepy head. Full of slogans and promises but empty on delivery. Perhaps not as empty as badawi but that does not necessarily make him better than badawi. Najib as we can see actually has delivered something. Maybe he has learned the badawi lesson. Never make empty promises. So he makes sure that his promises are never of the vacant sort or of the undeliverable variety.
Now lets look at what he has delivered so far. Peanuts. Yes. Its peanuts and no more. Giving up the 30% umnoputra equity requirement for IPO is really no big deal. Local IPO activities are so low anyway. So giving up that 30% umnoputra equity rights is no big loss to umnoputras. But wait a minute. There is that umnoputra-only investment body that he will set up to replace that 30% loss. He does look like a cheat doesnt he? He gave out peanuts and in return he will be taking away meat, coffee and cake.
Between not delivering at all on one’s promise and delivering peanuts and deceptions, I think the latter is the worse of the two.
Taiking … wait for the next poll, see the progress. Me, I suspect the poll is properly done. Its an indicator, not necessary definitive in nature. Its a mere OPINION poll. PR really needs to take heed. I have many friends who last year says VOTE PR! TIME FOR CHANGE … today in Selangor they are asking, WHAT HAS PR ACHIEVED? WHAT ARE THEY UP TO? There is a change in the opinion tide. I wonder if PR will wake up and take heed.
Anwars’s rally in PJ only could summon 4,000 people, the so called rally for his trial only less than 100 people. I think people are sick of the politics, perhaps they want to hear good news from PR and not the same old rhetoric about BN is bad, PM is bad etc. They all know its bad and want to see something good that is happening. Not talk …
///The discontinuation of the teaching of maths and science in English has to be the most stupid move of the Najib administration. They have pawned the future competitiveness of this country for short term political expediency/// – Godfather Today at 08: 32.21 (59 minutes ago).
This is one of the few issues that I would agree with him and I am appalled at Pakatan Rakyat’s position !
Am I not right to say that Anwar/PKR and Hadi/PAS are on record opposing teaching mathematics and science in English or ‘PPSMI?’
Most disappointingly, it appears also to be the position of DAP as well when Kit said, “a good illustration is the disastrous PPSMI (Teaching Science and Mathematics in English) decision making guinea pigs of some four million Malaysian pupils whether in the national, Chinese or Tamil primary schools in the past six years for “a cure which is worse than the disease”! in blog thread “ PPSMI – Are the shoes of an Education Minister in Malaysia too big for Muhyiddin?”
And now when BN Govt decides to drop it, you guys question it.
For example: “The decision to cancel PPSMI is politically motivated as no research results has been produced,” PKR’s new education shadow Yusmadi Yusoff said when reacting to the government’s move to end a policy initiated by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2003.
DAP Socialist Youth chief Anthony Loke also asked to know details of why PPSMI had been dropped. “It is an admission that the Barisan Nasional government has implemented the wrong policy. We call for the details of the government’s research on this issue to be made public, as it is crucial for everyone to know what had happened over the last few years when the policy was in place,” the Rasah MP said.
(Source – Shannon Teoh’s July 8 report in The MalaysiaInsider)
What argument is that? You are oppsoing for the fun of opposing eh???”
Yes, the Najib’s govt. now rectifies that (PPSMI) which was “supposedly” wrong – isn’t this reform for better???- why is the Opposition still criticising and not praising the present govt. for supposedly doing exactly what the Opposition wanted ie doing away with PPSMI?
In the first place, I don’t think it is unanimous at all that DAP/PR supporters (if the comments of those here are anything to go by) support your Anwar/PKR, Hadi/PAS and Kit/DAP stand of opposing and doing away with from PPSMI.
At least I (personally) think we should not just confine to Science and Mathematics but go forward – take further steps – and expand English beyond teaching of Mathematics/science consistent with stand that English is important on Global Stage – and good for our children, and the nation.
Why are you the so called Royal Federal Opposition playing to gallery of supporting linguist chauvinists – whether Chinese educationists and Bahasa Malaysia activists – contrary to national interests?
Please note that a recent survey by the independent Merdeka Center showed that 58 per cent of 1,060 voters interviewed supported using English as medium of instruction – see The MalaysiaInsider (sic).
If you all were to read the news carefully you will see one of the reasons it failed is because the teachers had an appalling command of English. Amazing huh?
Can those who oppose PPSMI on both sides of the political divide of BN and PR produce search results that reverting to teaching these subjects in Bahasa and vernacular advance the longer run promotion of English and make our students more competitive in adaptation to this modern Globablised world???? Why play to populist gallery – I am addressing this to politicians on both sides – when such an important thing, education of our children and future generation is at stake???
“…teachers had an appalling command of English….”
This because support for English is half hearted, lip service only lah, more important hubris/racial, cultural and all kinds of other pride that need to be protected, and vote getting, all the time the feet not on the ground, when considering realities!
I am disappointed the DAP appears to take a common stand with its other two partners.
“Why are you the so called Royal Federal Opposition playing to gallery of supporting linguist chauvinists – whether Chinese educationists and Bahasa Malaysia activists – contrary to national interests?” Jeffrey
The wily Mamakthir posed this very question to Muhyiddin and received no reply. Muhyiddin even had the cheek to say that the government had received support from Mamakthir, which was contradicted by the man himself !
The Malay nationalists, the Chinese Dong Jiao Something – they ought to be made to attend national service – conducted in English.
Each day the clock is tick tok…tick tok….while you are eating…while you are sleeping….each second..tick tock….Malaysian cruel oil reserve is reducing dig out…every second we are heading toward Malaysian oil income is reducing and Malaysian expenditure to maintain is increasing
We are heading toward bankruptcy if Malaysians still fighting each others with racial issue.
Don’t you deem selfish demanding special rights over others full born rights Malaysian nearly 53 years blocking others intelligence Malaysians to do the best for Malaysia to compete with other nations.
Each day, you are walking and while you are sleeping….the clock is ticking….cruel oil resever is reducing….foreign investment is moving out…
Malaysia is heading toward bankrupt…..towarding not enough income to feed all MALAYSIAN…
Don’t you see the picture….WAKE UP BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE…
THE CLOCK IS TICKING………
Jeffrey is right that Pakatan does not have any consistency in this matter. For the sake of the nation, do something that is right for the long term and not play to narrow galleries.
“To all those that constantly talk about the next GE as if it was a sure thing, they better think again. PR made enormous gains from protest votes in 2008. However as time goes by, people will probably fall back to their normal voting patterns.”
Anwar was the unifying factor but now he is safely out of the way for UMNO after his credibility took a dent… and a huge dent at that. He went for broke and he is now really broke. While I think he was a little hasty, he took a big risk then to cash in on the sentiments at that time because he knew it may not last. Awwww, to think of BN continuing to govern is a nightmare but then again, what is the alternative? PR can’t even get along among themselves and PAS would always want to turn Malaysia into another Iran. We cannot really trust PAS, Islamic though it profess. DAP has always been the most consistent in its ideology.
I repeat what SpeakUp said – “you will see one of the reasons it (PPSMI) failed is because the teachers had an appalling command of English” and respond that the most important reason it failed is because there is no wholehearted commitment to English, the so called language of colonialists – now international lingua franca – cultural and other chavinistic considerations given greater priority to garner votes! PPSMI failed because it is mere baby steps – not wholesale commitment by having English to more subjects instead of two and more English teachers and making passing of English compulsory. How does going backwards now by rescission of the neither here nor there PPSMI advance the chatter about longer term goal of improving English overall amongst our children? How can you go nearer to your destination (of improving English proficiency) by going backwards than forward?
We need to go back a little to history. After May 13 in 1969, Rahman Yakub from Sarawak was the education Minister. He replaced English with Malay as a medium of instruction beginning in 1970, and from that year, students from Primary one were taught in Malay in all subjects. So, from 1983 the Malay medium students began their university education.
Mahathir was sacked by Tunku in 1969. Tun Razak brought in Mahathir and made him Education Minister in 1972, perhaps to spike Tunku, or as a reward for the May 13 conspiracy (?). Mahathir did nothing to stop Rahman Yakub’s harm on education in Malaysia.
Mahathir was PM in July 1981. He had all the power to change the education system to help students improve their English, but he did not. He cannot claim that he was not wise enough then to know the importance of English until 2002 when he directed the teaching of mathematics and science in English.
It is not wrong to let students learn the two subjects in English, but the crucial question is when to begin learning them.
The Chinese primary schools have been teaching Mathematics and science in Chinese in primary schools. Some Chinese secondary schools continued teaching these subjects in Chinese while others beginning teaching them in English starting from secondary one (year 7), or Form one. In Chung Ling High School, the medium of instruction for secondary school was English beginning in the 1950s. The students had to take Chinese language and Chinese literature for public examinations, of course. Han Chiang High School in Penang had Chinese as the medium of instruction for mathematics and science in 1950s, and the schools produced many scientists all the same.
Chung Ling in Penang proved that students who began learning the two subjects in English were able to gain direct admission to universities in USA based on school results. Chung Ling certainly produced many successful students who did not have to learn the two subjects in English from primary school.
The quarrel with the policy of teaching mathematics and science is not the use of the medium of instruction; it is the timing of introducing them. The Chinese educationists objected to teaching them in primary schools; and they would welcome it in secondary schools.
Najib and Muhyiddin should be congratulated for having the gut to reverse the policy which was obviously wrong, despite the misgiving by TDM.
The teachers and students in vernacular primary schools will certainly welcome the decision. They are the ones directly affected. For those who did not go through the vernacular education, they would never appreciate the importance of using the mother tongue for teaching all subjects in school. Indeed the characters of the vernacular schools should be preserved, and more time could be spent on teaching other languages.
Though TDM has tried to justify the power of English language, his policy of having English for science and mathematics in primary school made it suspect. He openly said that non-Malays should be assimilated, and the logical starting point is to compromise the vernacular school. I am glad DongJiaoCong took a firm stand on this issue.
The government should keep English for teaching the two subjects in secondary schools.
http://leap.tki.org.nz/being_bilingual/bilingualism_and_successful_learning/is_bilingualism_an_advantage
‘In contrast to the early research on bilingualism discussed in Is bilingualism a problem? , more than 150 major research studies now broadly conclude that when children continue to develop their abilities in two or more languages throughout their primary school years, they gain a deeper understanding of language and how to use it effectively. In other words, research since the 1960s has consistently found that bilingualism is a cognitive, social, and educational advantage and that, consequently, bilingual students tend to outperform their monolingual peers in key cognitive tasks. (See the video clip Advantages of bilingualism .) This positive view of bilingualism was first established by Peal and Lambert in the 1960s (see below) and is still held by today’s researchers in bilingualism.
When bilingual students are in additive bilingual contexts where their bilingualism is valued and used, they show definite advantages over monolingual students in the following four cognitive or learning areas:
1.Cognitive flexibility: Bilingual people are more creative and flexible in their thinking.
2.Metalinguistic awareness: Bilingual people demonstrate greater awareness of language and how it works.
3.Communicative sensitivity: Bilingual people are more sensitive to nuances in communication.
4.Field independence: Bilingual people are often able to orient themselves and detect hidden patterns and figures more easily.’
Of course, this excerpt is about the benefits of bilingualism and does not address the issue of medium of instruction directly. But it may be relevant to that issue.
If it is cognitively (not just economically or pragmatically) advantageous to learn two or more languages at an early age, we should encourage children to learn them from an early age. If Children learn two languages from an early age, both languages will be their first languages. In that case the issue of using a second language as a medium of instruction will be detrimental to one’s cognitive development (in general or in some subjects such as science or maths) will not arise.
The whole issue crucially depends on the contention that learning a second language when the first language has not been fully established is detrimental to someone’s linguistic or/and cognitive development. But this contention is based on outdated research. Current research in linguistic and experimental psychological indicates otherwise.
see also ‘Bilingualism Matters’
http://www.bilingualism-matters.org.uk/
If a child learns both English and Malay/Chinese/Tamil at an early age as his double first languages, using either English or Malay/Chinese/Tamil as a medium of instruction in primary schools will not be detrimental to his cognitive or linguistic development, since none is a second language.
Given that the use of English is not detrimental to one’s cognitive or/and linguistic development, one should prefer English as an MOI for science and maths given its economic and pragmatic benefits.
Of course, in the ideal possible world, a child would learn maths and science in both English and Malay/Chinese/Tamil. But if that proves to be impractical, using English is the best option.
I won’t lose my cultural identity if I can speak Mandarin in ordinary communication but do not know how to say sodium chloride, sine, tangent, palaeontology and etc in Chinese.
Many ordinary folks in China and Taiwan can’t do that as well. But they are no less Chinese than a professor at Beijing University.
So what’s the problem with the policy of using English as MOI for science and maths from primary schools so long as one is encouraged or required to learn Malay/Chinese/Tamil throughout his schooling?
oops… In that case the issue of using a second language as a medium of instruction BEING detrimental to one’s cognitive development (in general or in some subjects such as science or maths) will not arise.
“Najib and Muhyiddin should be congratulated for having the gut to reverse the policy which was obviously wrong, despite the misgiving by TDM.” Loh
The policy was not wrong. It was simply changed by Najib to accomodate narrow political interests such as the Malay nationalists who are losing out because the average Malay family uses only one language, and the Chinese nationalists who believe that their “sovereignty” over these subjects would be somehow diminished over time with the use of English. Did anyone from MCA or Gerakan or MIC object to this reversal ? Of course not. They are supported by their narrow chauvinistic interests.
Hmm! What to say to this adorable government. They either ‘no do’ or ‘over do’. There is no middle ground in this government of ours. What we want is only reversing in primary level, leave the secondary school as it is – Science and Maths in English.
tsn:
I’ll go a step further. What we really want is to give people a choice at primary level, and leave the secondary school as it is.
Furthermore, the government must answer this simple question:
Were the intakes in the teachers’ training colleges and those accepted for the Diploma in Education programme accepted on merit or based on racial quota ?
“The government should keep English for teaching the two subjects in secondary schools.”
Actually, there are pros and cons. Mahathir’s idea is that because most scientific literature is written in English, it would be good for Malaysians (or rather the Malays) to catch up with developments in the scientific world if these two subjects are taught in English. (After all, it takes a long time to translate a scientific literature into Malay, if at all.) But just because the two subjects are not taught in Malay in schools, no one really bothers about these two subjects in Bahasa. As such, it looks like the language has no further development in its scientific terminology and scientific literature. Let’s not confuse the ends and the means. I think it is no harm to revert to BM for science and mathematics but more concerted effort should be undertaken to strengthen Malaysians on English so that they can read any English articles, whether be it science or otherwise. We cannot afford to be a katak di bawah tempurung. Unfortunately, this is what our Malaysian education has turned us into… mere kataks. Boleh cakap dalam Bahasa Melayu, tak? Bahasa Inggeris, aku kurang faham. What monkeys have we become, thanks to our National Education Policy.
a2a … tic toc tic toc … yes how true
Jeff … let’s all go for a mamak teh tarik session, really meet up, this will be fun man! Hahahahahaha … someone prepares a list of issues we all can create havoc over while we drink teh tarik. :)
DPM can talk all they want, I think learning science and math in Malay is ok, hell, can even be in Chinese or Telegu BUT the issue is are the students WELL EDUCATED and secondly, what language have they mastered to COMMUNICATE with the rest of the world? These are the 2 key issues …
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/National/2603354/Article/index_html
Gapena secretary I Associate Professor Datuk Zainal Abidin Borhan wanted the works of locals to be used in the teaching of English literature.
This will effectively kill off the students’ interest in English Literature because to be hooked on reading story books in one’s early years, the books need to be both intellectually attractive and challenging to the mind. How many English books written by locals fit this category? What is wrong in having Literature books by English authors such as Dickens and HG Wells?
Jeffrey,who’s at stake ? whose’s children are at stake ? Reversing BM to teach maths and science may look stupid to you guys but to Umno,it’s their best option to gain more malays support.Umno does not care,the country will further fall away from the globlisation of the English language,what they really care is to remain in power.Umno leaders are filty rich,they can send all their children to UK,Australia or United States to study.The ordinary folk’s children are really at stake especially the non malays.The ordinary malays’s stake may not as serious as others as they have affirmative policy to protect them.It’s a pity though that the ordinary malay folks do not able to see the big picture but can see the tiny lillte dots in the paper.I think that’s the core reason why they always voted Umno into power.Umno leaders know this weakness and hence manipulated it to their fullest gain.I wonder what TDM has to say now that his own party Umno has proven him wrong in the usage of the english language to teach maths and science in school.Like I said before Umno/NR would do anything it takes to remain in power.These greedy and evil guys (umno top leaders) are now willing to trade the livelyhood of the nation and its people’s future ,in return for power and total supremacy. These evil guys have done to the nation and the majority of its people the most cruelest cut I can ever imagine.
Talking about PM getting more popular, look at LGE in Penang with the Kg Pala issue. He is getting so much flack. It is because he is pushed to a corner and the whole thing is blamed on him. BUT he also failed to use pr to play it right. So kena la for nothing.
Now you have that Cecil Rajendra who wants to use S. 116 (1) (d) of the National Land Code on the developers to get them to apply for a permit to tear the homes down. This is stupid, makes it look like arm twisting. When will DAP learn? Also, that particular section being invoked is subject to S 116 (3) what says it shall not apply if it is inconsistent with any express conditions to which the land is for the time being subject.
There will be a major row with the developer soon. So now, we push the villagers to accept the law, but we use a potentially grey area of the law to arm twist the developer?
Sad la … this is why the PM is getting more popular.
PM Najib got 65% popularity rating by doing the thing right or doing the right thing?
ctc537 … does it matter at all when popularity amounts to votes? Hitler was so popular just before WWII. Look at North Korea … the president is amazingly popular. Look at China, we called them communists and they still are but they are a giant in the global economy now.
Personally, I prefer to see the PM gaining popularity through doing the right things. Meritocracy, proficiency in English, the treatment of all races with genuine equality through his 1Malaysia concept are among the factors that will enure his longer reign.
North Korean Preident have been amazingly popular simply because the country under their rules have made them real proud of their homeland. Their launching of satellites, inter-continental ballistic missiles, possession of nuclear weapons…, their scientific and technological progress through their own effort. Our leaders should take note that this is what we call ‘North Korea Can’.
China is a giant in the global economy because of their sheer size and huge human resource coupled with their pragmatic leaders ho concentrate on the one thing East Asians such as the Chinese are capable of – economic development.
Chinese and Indians have no problem at all to master new languages with ease. They can easily adapt to new rules and regulations. They have withstood discrimination and unfair treatment for ages. They have gone through hardship and can easily survive without NEP. They are strong like steel.
ctc … this PM and the rest before him have no guts. None to do what is right for the nation. The system is corrupt so they live with it and use it to prop themselves up.
If he had guts he could easily do a Margaret Thatcher, make things happen for the nation at all cost, no one can question him. But alas, they will never. Too selfish and corrupt.
I agree with johnnypok totally. Why not the Malaysian government conduct an experiment to confirm this? Send a Malay, a Chinese and an Indian to a place with adverse conditions requiring high skills in survival and see who comes back to Malaysia in ONE PIECE!
Protection offered to the Malays have made them “jellyfishes” and the minute they are out of the water (Malaysia), they can only become delicacies served on Chinese dinner tables (preserved jellyfish). The handicap offered by the affirmative action of the BN government has totally destroyed the spirit of challenge in this particular race. Just wondering how they can realize WAWASAN 2020!