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Enhancing The Role of Private Sector in Education – Part 2

By M. Bakri Musa

[Second of Six Parts]

[In Part One, I emphasized the importance of getting the widest possible input in formulating a policy. Then when the policy is adopted, to start with small and manageable pilot projects to iron out the inevitable kinks, get feed back from the participants, and strengthen the weaknesses, and make the needed modifications. In this second part I discussed the rationale for private sector participation in education. MBM].

The Rationale For Private Sector Participation

Education, specifically the language of instruction in its institutions, is a highly politically-charged issue in Malaysia, as with any plural society. America for example still grapples with how best to integrate through its schools the children of minorities. Until recently Canada had to contend with its own English-French language rivalry.
Continue reading “Enhancing The Role of Private Sector in Education – Part 2”

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Muhyiddin is chief Cabinet hawk siding with Mahathir against Nazri – ball in Najib’s court facing critical test for his 1Malaysia concept which is virtually in tatters

The Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has come out as the chief hawk in Cabinet to side with former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad against the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz in the row over the divisive, racist and seditious Biro Tata Negara (BTN) indoctrination course and Umno as a racist party.

The ball is now in Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s court with Najib’s 1Malaysia concept facing a critical test.

Nazri is right in describing Mahathir as a racist in defending the divisive, racist and seditious BTN course and Mahathir is right in his response that Umno is a racist party.

The question is why Umno should continue to impose its racist ideology on the government and country and to turn BTN into an instrument to purvey its racist philosophy and pernicious doctrine, totally subversive of the Vision 2020 concept of Bangsa Malaysia as well as Najib’s 1Malaysia.
Continue reading “Muhyiddin is chief Cabinet hawk siding with Mahathir against Nazri – ball in Najib’s court facing critical test for his 1Malaysia concept which is virtually in tatters”

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What Chin Peng’s story can teach us

We need to explore the story behind the armed struggle to understand the ideology behind the movement. We might denounce the atrocities of the communist insurgents/Malayan co-freedom fighters, but we must also recognise the intellectual value and power of the Marxist critique of society as a legitimate, systematic, liberating, humanising and praxical (the translation of theory to practice) body of knowledge that has evolved into an organic discipline itself.

By Azly Rahman

The story of the Malayan nationalist leader Chin Peng’s request to come home interests me academically. I hope he will one day be given the chance to speak in Malaysia’s universities, sharing his story on Malaysia’s struggle against imperialism.
Continue reading “What Chin Peng’s story can teach us”

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(Update) Why no other Cabinet Minister, whether Umno, MCA, Gerakan, MIC or from Sabah and Sarawak, speaking out publicly to endorse Nazri’s denunciation of Mahathir as a racist for defending racist BTN course

Why is there no other Cabinet Minister, whether Umno, MCA, Gerakan, MIC or from Sabah and Sarawak, speaking out publicly to endorse Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz’s denunciation of former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir as a racist for defending the racist Biro Tata Negara (BTN) course?

It has been said that “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”. Are there any “tough” Ministers in Umno, MCA, Gerakan, MIC, Sabah and Sarawak to endorse a revamp of the divisive, racist and seditious BTN indoctrination course which had done the nation-building process a great national disservice since Mahathir’s premiership to divide the diverse races in the country by promoting racial hatred and ill will among Malaysians?

Mahathir had said that there is no need to revamp the BTN course “as in the current form, they were fine for instilling the patriotic spirit among Malaysians”, claiming that “the BTN curriculum had helped foster unity as the courses conducted by the agency were attended by Malaysians of all races”.
Continue reading “(Update) Why no other Cabinet Minister, whether Umno, MCA, Gerakan, MIC or from Sabah and Sarawak, speaking out publicly to endorse Nazri’s denunciation of Mahathir as a racist for defending racist BTN course”

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Government should respect PAGE and empower parents to decide whether to use English to teach/learn maths and science in primary/secondary schools

During the 2010 budget debate on the Education Ministry late this evening, I called on the government to respect the Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) and to empower parents to decide whether they want their children to use English to teach/learn mathematics and science in primary and secondary schools.

I reiterated the DAP stand that maths and science should be taught in the mother tongue or home language in Std. One and spoke on the decline in mastery of the English language by Malaysian students, all the way to the university level.

The government had been talking about the importance of ensuring fluency and proficiency of English students, especially university students, but little had been achieved going by the employers’ complaints about the poor English command of graduates.

This has undermined Malaysia’s international competitiveness as English is an international language and a language of competition in the world arena. Continue reading “Government should respect PAGE and empower parents to decide whether to use English to teach/learn maths and science in primary/secondary schools”

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“Teoh Beng Hock’s case is nothing. It is a very small case.” – Ahmad Said’s guilty mind speaking

The outgoing Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Ahmad Said gravely damaged his own case that he was not stepping down early because of political pressure.

Denying that the mysterious death of DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock at the MACC headquarters at Plaza Masalam, Shah Alam on July 16, 2009 had attributed to his early retirement, Ahmad said:

“Teoh Beng Hock’s case is nothing. It is a very small case. We have handled much bigger cases.’’

This is generally received by Malaysians as Ahmad Said’s guilty mind speaking, admitting that the MACC cannot exonerate itself or exculpate responsibility for Teoh’s death whatever the outcome of the ongoing inquest to Teoh’s death.

Ahmad’s statement is heartless and grossly insensitive, rubbing salt into the wounds in the hearts of all decent and justice-loving Malaysia.
Continue reading ““Teoh Beng Hock’s case is nothing. It is a very small case.” – Ahmad Said’s guilty mind speaking”

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BTN – why is Muhyiddin backing Ahmad Maslan and not Nazri?

When asked about the Biro Tata Negara (BTN) controversy after the National Land Council meeting in Putrajaya on Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Ahmad Maslan, who is directly responsible for Biro Tata Negara (BTN), had already given the necessary explanation.

Asked whether the BTN course would be revamped, Muhyiddin said this was not a new course, that it had been decided on by the Cabinet a long time back and that he did not need to explain further. (Sin Chew 5.12.09)

Muhyiddin was being most irresponsible for evading the issue, especially as the Deputy Prime Minister had led the UMNO hawks including the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, the Agriculture Minister Datuk Nor Omar, the Women Minister Datuk Shahrizat Jalil in Cabinet in defending the divisive, racist and seditious BTN indoctrination courses.

Muhyiddin cannot be unaware of the public spat between Ahmad Maslan and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, over the disagreement over the Minister’s statement that the Cabinet had decided to “revamp” the BTN course Continue reading “BTN – why is Muhyiddin backing Ahmad Maslan and not Nazri?”

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Under Abu Kassim, can MACC redeem itself and restore public confidence, which has plunged to lowest ebb in nation’s history, as an independent, professional and fearless fighter against corruption?

Generally news of the early retirement of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan have elicited two responses.

Firstly, Ahmad Said’s 30-month tenure as anti-corruption chief saw public confidence in the anti-corruption agency, Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) and later MACC, plunged to the lowest ebb in nation’s history.

This is supreme irony and greatest national disservice. The MACC which started operations this year had been touted as modeled after world-famous Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) and would be an even more effective anti-corruption agency because of the various panels and mechanisms exercising oversight to ensure its independence and professionalism.

It is however no exaggeration to say that public confidence in the ACA in its 40-year history had never fallen as low as during the first year of operation of MACC.
Continue reading “Under Abu Kassim, can MACC redeem itself and restore public confidence, which has plunged to lowest ebb in nation’s history, as an independent, professional and fearless fighter against corruption?”

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Replace the BTN, which spent RM550 million in past ten years to incite racial hatred and animosity to create more racists than Malaysian nationalists, with an independent non-partisan institution answerable only to Parliament

Biro Tata Negara (BTN) spent RM550 million in the past ten years from 2000 to 2009 to incite racial hatred and animosity to create more racists than Malaysian nationalists and was a major push factor for the brain drain driving Malaysia’s best and brightest from Malaysian shores in the past decade.

The annual budget for the BTN in the past ten years, totalling RM548 million, is as follows:

Year Expenditure
(RM)
2000 28,928,500
2001 27,172,300
2002 34,199,700
2003 35,620,163
2004 86,165,889
2005 68,160,330
2006 43,097,076
2007 74,339,400
2008 76,348,700
2009 74,023,100

Continue reading “Replace the BTN, which spent RM550 million in past ten years to incite racial hatred and animosity to create more racists than Malaysian nationalists, with an independent non-partisan institution answerable only to Parliament”

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Perak DAP convention doormat incident a lesson to all politicians

The Perak DAP convention doormat incident on Sunday was not the best of political judgment, taste or example.

I was taken by surprise when confronted with the doormat and tried to avoid stepping on the three pictures but not completely with success.

I fully share the apology made by the DAP leadership over the incident. In fact, I had on the very same day of the convention suggested to the Perak DAP leadership to tender a public apology over the incident.

The Perak DAP convention doormat incident is a lesson to all politicians to be particularly mindful about sensitivities of Malaysians in a plural society and the propensity of irresponsible politicians to turn a non-racial issue into a racial one.

The DAP leadership has learnt from the mistake.

But have the UMNO and Barisan Nasional leaderships learnt any lessons, whether before or after? The answers to both can only be in the negative.

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Miri the Oil City

Letters
by Sara

We’re really proud with Miri as The Oil City.

After the government made a decision to switch more to RON95, it’s funny for me to say that it’s very difficult to get RON97 at Petronas Station around Miri City.

Only 2-3 Petronas station sell RON97. If you go to this station, always stated that “MINYAK RON97 SUDAH HABIS”.

This is Oil City, but difficult to get RON97 comparing to KL.

Oil City…. haaaa.

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Can Malaysia rise from the lost “decade of stagnation”?

Second Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah’s speech at Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) National Economic Outlook Conference 2010-2011 on Tuesday that Malaysia has lost ground to neighbours such as Indonesia in the race for foreign investment and the imperative need to rebuild confidence by building the highest standards of governance did not say anything new as they have been repeatedly raised by DAP and Pakatan Rakyat leaders inside and outside Parliament.

It is nonetheless unusually refreshing as it is the first admission by a top government leader of a lost decade of “stagnation” after the 1998 Asian financial crisis.

Just like the pledge by the former Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to declare war on corruption when he came into office in six years ago and the pledge by the present Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak just eight months ago to lead a government committed to the concept of “1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now” but which have not followed by action and the political will to “walk the talk”, will Husni’s remarkably frank speech end up as the latest addition to a mountainous pile of high-sounding speeches of government leaders never translated into deed and policy?
Continue reading “Can Malaysia rise from the lost “decade of stagnation”?”

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Enhancing The Role of the Private Sector in Education

By M. Bakri Musa

[First of Six Parts]

Introductory Remarks

In the proposed Tenth Malaysia Plan scheduled to be unveiled next year (2010), the government will again re-commit to develop human resources through improving our education system. We have heard all these before, but the twist this time is that the government will actively engage the private sector.

I applaud this. There are many avenues for private sector involvement in education at all levels, either independently or in a variety of public-private partnerships (PPP).

Two points are worth noting as Malaysia embarks on this endeavor. The first is that there are already many models of private sector involvement in education throughout the developed and developing world. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. All we have to do is study these existing models, ascertain their strengths and weaknesses, and then adopt with suitable modifications the ones that would best suit our needs. Continue reading “Enhancing The Role of the Private Sector in Education”

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An alternative to BTN: cross-cultural understanding

By Azly Rahman

BTN is tsunamied. It’s demise might be inevitable. The writings are on the wall — and in cyberspace.

Malaysians wish to see the closing down of the operations of Biro Tata Negara – for good. I think it has done more harm than good. It is based on a flawed understanding of Malaysian history and promotes a communalistic and combative rather than cosmopolitan and collaborative Malaysia.

The danger is in hegemony; the fish does not know it is in the water and keeps on swimming round and round in the fish bowl.

Let us consider an alternative to teaching Malaysians how to become and behave like Malaysians. The root of this change must come from our reconceptualization of language and culture. Through education for critical consciousness, we can all begin the dismantling process of dismantling race-based institutions such as BTN.
Continue reading “An alternative to BTN: cross-cultural understanding”

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BTN’s racist, anti-national and seditious indoctrination courses should not be glossed over or minimized as it makes a total mockery of 1Malaysia slogan and concept

The Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Ahmad Maslan, who is directly responsible for Biro Tata Negara (BTN), is trying to gloss over and minimize the condemnation of the BTN courses as racist, anti-national and seditious indoctrination programmes detrimental to Malaysian nation-building and national unity.

Adding insult to injury, Ahmad claimed that BTN courses were based on facts, asking:

“If we say that two-thirds of the population consist of bumiputeras and one-third non-bumiputeras, is that considered racist?

“If we say 66 percent is bumiputera and 24 percent consists other races, is that racist? That is just stating the facts.”

Ahmad, who is also Umno information chief, cannot be so obtuse as not to know that nobody objects to such factual information.
Continue reading “BTN’s racist, anti-national and seditious indoctrination courses should not be glossed over or minimized as it makes a total mockery of 1Malaysia slogan and concept”

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Our failed migrant labour policy

By Tunku Aziz

Corruption and gross inefficiency make for a lethal concoction. In Malaysia everything that goes wrong is traceable to either one or both of these factors, and we Malaysians do not have far to cast our eye to see examples of enforcement that have gone awry.

Everywhere we go in Malaysia, in urban centres as well as remote rural hamlets, we see foreigners in our midst toiling away day and night at jobs that Malaysians won’t touch with a long barge pole.

It is clear that these people, the overwhelming majority are illegal, are performing a useful economic function, and it is equally obvious that we cannot do without them, such is their penetration into virtually every aspect of Malaysian life. Why, then, don’t we look the problem in the face and do something right by both the country and these illegals who are here for the long haul?
Continue reading “Our failed migrant labour policy”

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Some 630 Malaysians leave the country every day

A total of 304,358 Malaysians left the country between March last year and August this year for better education, career and business prospects, Deputy Foreign Minister A Kohilan Pillay told Parliament yesterday. This is a big leap from 139,696 Malaysians who migrated to other countries in 2007.

This works out to some 630 Malaysians leaving the country every day.

Can Malaysia afford such a continuing brain drain?

This is a big vote of no confidence not only in the Abdullah premiership but also in the present Najib administration. Continue reading “Some 630 Malaysians leave the country every day”

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Why not invite me to head an investigation whether BTN’s course had poisoned the minds of a generation of leaders, civil servants and university students with its racist indoctrination programme?

In continuing to justify the Biro Tata Negara (BTN) course as inculcating nationalism and unity among the people, the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin challenged me to join the Biro Tata Negara (BTN) course to see for myself if it promoted racial hatred as alleged.

Undoubtedly, in such a case, the BTN lecturers will act as model Malaysians with exemplary conduct and attitude.

Let me ask Muhyiddin – why not invite me to head an investigation whether the BTN course had poisoned the minds of a generation of leaders, civil servants and university students with its divisive, racist and seditious indoctrination programmes?

No one will have any objection to national civics courses which promotes national unity and inter-racial understanding but it is unpatriotic, anti-national and criminal to say the least to have a government programme which incites racial ill-will and hatred as this is not nation-building but destroying the very fabric of a united, progressive and successful Malaysian nation.
Continue reading “Why not invite me to head an investigation whether BTN’s course had poisoned the minds of a generation of leaders, civil servants and university students with its racist indoctrination programme?”

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MCCBCHST on Family Law Reform proposals

MCCBCHST Media Release: 30 November 2009
REPORT ON PROPOSALS FOR FAMILY LAW REFORM TROUBLING

The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism is very concerned about the comments by Senior Federal Counsel Mohamad Naser Disa, as reported in the Sun newspaper of 25.11.2009, relating to proposed amendments to the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 dealing with the situation where one spouse in a non Muslim marriage converts to Islam.

If the comments accurately reflect the proposed amendments, it shows that the gross injustices currently being committed against non Muslim spouses (mostly wives) by their husbands who convert to Islam, by the Syariah Courts and Syariah authorities, and by the civil courts will continue.

The comments also show clearly the skewered method of approaching these amendments taken by the Federal Government and the Attorney General’s Chambers: the people who are suffering are the non Muslim family members of the convert, especially mothers who are unable to see their children or to expose their children to their own faith. Continue reading “MCCBCHST on Family Law Reform proposals”