By Thomas Lee
The cabinet decision to allow school heads to decide on the setting-up of non-Muslim religious societies in schools, without the need to obtain approval of the state education director, is certainly welcome.
The decision, however, should not be taken as something magnanimous on the part of the federal government for according this “concession” to the non-Muslim community.
The fact is that it is not something to be considered as a concession or a privilege given by the federal government, but a fundamental right provided for in Article 11 of the Malaysian Federal Constitution and enshined in the human rights covenants and conventions of the United Nations.
Hence, the federal government, in particularly the Education Minister, should apologise to the non-Muslim students for unilaterally restricting and depriving them over the years of their fundamental human and constitutional right and freedom to practice their religious faiths, through the unwarranted and unjustified action of the Little Napoleons in the Education Ministry.
Now that the cabinet has officially declared that such non-Muslim religious clubs and societies are allowed to exist and be formed in schools if there are at least 15 students signing up to start one, I hope the school heads, some of whom practise the Little Napoleon culture, will not make things difficult for the students who want to form such clubs or societies.
In fact, the school heads should help the students by providing the meeting place and appointing teachers to be advisors to guide them. If there is the unlikelihood or improbability that a school may not have a teacher practising the faith of any such club, the school concerned should allow a pastor, a priest or a religious elder acceptable to the parents of the students to act as the religious advisor. The school should also allow speakers from the churches or temples to be invited to speak at the meetings of such clubs or societies.
Soi Lek has hinted that the MCA fought for the decision when he said he chaired a pre-council meeting with the four MCA ministers – Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung and Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen – in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday to discuss the matter, before the cabinet met on Wednesday to discuss it.
And Liow, the MCA deputy president, was given the honour to announce the decision after the cabinet meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in Putrajaya on Wednesday.
The fact that the Umno-controlled federal government is now being more open and liberal in acceding to demands and requests of the people is simply because the coalition does not have the two-thirds majority in Parliament since the March 2008 general election, and there is now a very viable alternative coalition – the Pakatan Rakyat – which the people can turn to if the Barisan Nasional does not serve them well.
The favourable decision on the non-Muslim religious societies in school is simply the result of the fear of a stronger backlash against the Barisan Nasional at the next general election, not because the MCA has any political clout and potency to pressure the Umno-dominated cabinet to comply with its request or demand.
This is illustrated so obviously by the fact that MCA boss Soi Lek immediately backed down from the initial MCA position to endorse the rights of Christians to use the word “Allah” the moment Deputy Prime Minister and Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin rebuked the party and warned it not to champion the issue.
Soi Lek made the about-turn, just hours after Muhyiddin reprimanded the MCA, and said that the party does not share the same stand with the DAP on the call to lift the ban on the use of “Allah” by non-Muslims.
His explanation is that the MCA held a dialogue with the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) last week and that the CFM felt that there was a need for the issue to be resolved as soon as possible.
Soi Lek, in trying to appease Muhyiddin, one of his big Umno bosses, has claimed that the MCA was only voicing out the CFM wish on the issue which has yet to be resolved.
In other words, Soi Lek is saying that the MCA does not have any conviction or stand on the “Allah” issue, and all it does is to play postman for the CFM.
If that is the case, the CFM is wasting its time raising and discussing the “Allah” issue and any other issues with the MCA as the party is certainly poltically impotent to do anything. The CFM should go straight to the top Umno leaders to get their problems resolved.
CFM executive secretary Tan Kong Beng was quoted in the MCA magazine The Guardian as saying: “I think the MCA can win back the voters if it is seen as being independent and able to speak for the concerns of Malaysians. The party can be a voice in government for better and principled governance.”
Tan is one of those poorly informed persons who are living in illusion and delusion to expect the MCA to be “a voice in government for better and principled governance.”
The fact is that the MCA is, for all intent and purpose, poltically impotent and powerless in the Barisan Nasional ruling coalition, with its leaders servile and subservient to the powerful Umno leaders.
It is perhaps time for those sincere and honest MCA leaders like ex-Wanita MCA chief Chew Mei Fun, vice-president Gan Ping Sieu, and perhaps even ex-president Ong Tee Keat to either mobilise and organise the sincere grassroots leaders and members to oust the Soi Lek leadership and reform the party, or lead an exodus to join the DAP to continue their struggle for a truly just, fair, progressive and prosperous Malaysia for all who call it their motherland.
Here is an intellectual question: Is Tan Kong Beng, CFM secretary right? i.e., if MCA is seen as independent etc. etc. can they win back votes?
In the first place, I don’t think they can be seen as independent etc. That ship is largely passed. But lets assume they can be seen as independent etc., will they win votes?
I think the Chinese community see that its not MCA that has to change but rather UMNO. No one is fooled by who MCA is already, the community is largely online. If they vote for MCA its they want something from UMNO – the contractors, the agents, land developer etc that community actually have been shrinking all this time. The business of contracts and developer may still have many chinese owners but not the workers – there are actually very few of those. Whatever professional like civil engineers as such as gone overseas or can do so.
So MCA really have to change UMNO to win votes. ‘Independent and voice for Malaysian’, not only do they have no space to do it, its also not enough. UMNO has to change or MCA will be done as soon as the money run out.
0On this “Allah” issue…you can observe sex maniac Soi Lek have no self respect at all…with his balls shrinking…the moment DPM was unhappy with his comments..and warned MCA.
Soi Lek quickly said he was quoting what.. Christian Federation of Malaysia {CFM} commented,
The CFM President advised Soi Lek to speak for MCA and not for CFM.
And when good news announced..he would say…it was MCA persuasions that got UMNO B to agree.
He is now MCA President.
Just wait for more speeches or mouth shut up like a mouse…in total agreement with UMNO B…for.. MCA to survive.
MCA claiming to protect the Chinese race is nonsense..out-dated and stays as puppets and running dogs.
The moment Ling came out and presented Soi Lek a “box”….Liong Sek got arrested few days later. There is no doubt….Najib and Soi Lek cannot see eye to eye…so he acted and now got Mahathir mad.
Have fun.
///Soi Lek made the about-turn, just hours after Muhyiddin reprimanded the MCA, and said that the party does not share the same stand with the DAP on the call to lift the ban on the use of “Allah” by non-Muslims.
His explanation is that the MCA held a dialogue with the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) last week and that the CFM felt that there was a need for the issue to be resolved as soon as possible.///
MCA does not even have a stand with regards to the interests of Chinese in the country. MCA’s only stand is to get some of their members appointed as Ministers.
Since the inception of MCA, it has betrayed the Chinese community by being the “yes man” of UMNO.
That’s right MCA,
No balls, no credit for you.
I remembered a joke an elderly man told me that the bn component parties namely the Gerakan and MCA guys would always hold one coconut on one hand and the other a bottle. So whatever the Umno big brothers said to them, they would unanimously reply as “ya ” (which sounded coconut in hokkien) and “betul” (sounded botoi (bottle) for the elderly hokkien). Jz a joke….. but it was really related to me by the elderly voters during the last GE campaign. Hehehe…
The only credit for MCA is those appeal letter for the student for university entry and scholarship, appeal against the government they partly owned (if you could agreed that is credit).
Two more credits (recently);
1) Donald duck said “need to have Chinese perkasa to take on malay perkasa”- another credit.
2) Transport Mini-stir said “’saman ekor’ is needed to avoid interaction of police officers and offenders to reduce potential bribery” – another credit.
Lesson learned;
1. A country lead by a ‘dilemma’ minded PM will lead the country into dilemma state.
2. A leader, claimed to represent a relatively minor community also want to take on majority using racial politics, cast 2 possibilities a)insanity, b)parasite mentality.
3. No matter how you deny a fact, it will somehow show out in your words.
:…the school heads, some of whom practise the Little Napoleon culture, will not make things difficult for the students who want to form such clubs or societies…”
Absolutely!! It is a well known fact that there are quite a few school heads who are racist bigots and by giving these powers to them, the Govt is only aggravating the problem. While the Education Dept is only one source of problem and can be identified and stopped immediately, if this power is delegated to the school head, we could in effect be multiplying this problem many times over if we have many school heads creating this same problem. And unless there is a check and balance in the mechanism, it is silly to put all the powers into the hands of one person.
The ideal party should be the PTA to make this decision as they are made up of parents and teachers and they would represent both the majority wishes of parents and the school administrators who has to monitor such activities. The best arrangement is for the MOE to draw up some general guidelines such as the minimum number of members required etc. and the PTA can then make the decision within these guidelines.
The constitutional rights of the non-malays and non -muslims have been questioned and disrupted pretty offen by Umnoputras and warlords .Why are they allowed to do so at their own will ? Why were it only accorded back when its being challenged ? For instant the ALLAH and the rights to setting up religious societies in school. I think we should not allow them (Umnoputras) to question again and again our sacred constitutional rights.Similarly non malays and non muslims too should not do so. I sincerely hope they don’t simply rock the boat in order to score a particular point to protect their own interest.The consequence of such self interest will create instablity and tumoil and later may lead the nation down the drain.
///While the Education Dept is only one source of problem and can be identified and stopped immediately, if this power is delegated to the school head, we could in effect be multiplying this problem many times over if we have many school heads creating this same problem. ///- Cinapek
In the past the school heads might want to send in their application, but the Education department could disapprove. That power to stop by the Education Department has now been withdrawn. So, it is certainly an improvement.
The rule says that with 15 or more students applying to set up a society, it will have it automatically approved, by the school head. If there were not even 15 students who have the guts to stand up to what they want, in submitting the application to the school head, then no third party would be able to help them.
You fellows think the problem is over; the non Muslims could now practise and propagate their faiths in schools. Dream on, my friends, dream on. It has always been the practice since merdeka that policies are administered dually – one official and the other one tacit. It is not just about the little napoleons here and there although they do help. Little napoleons are tacitly nurtured and inculcated to further the unspoken policies of the government. Do you think it is a coincidence that those appointed state education directors, headmasters and headmistresses are all bigots and cavemen? No they are not; they are specially selected to further the unspoken policies of the government.
By the way, do you think the MCA can’t see the parallelism? No, they can see it clear and good. They are just hopeless for they are in politics for a wrong reason. In fact I must say we have trusted MCA long enough and now it may be a little too late to turn the tide. Racism, bigotry and parochialism have taken strangle hold of this nation years ago. MCA was responsible for this and is still perpetuating it.
Soon, NR n RM will make a triumphant return 2 1M’sia n claimed dat all major issues settled
The High Court here dismissed on Friday a suit by an 80-year-old grandmother against the Sabah National Registration Department and the federal government after she was given permanent resident status (PR) after losing her MyKad identification document.//quoted from the Star.
You see, only non Malays and non Muslims have to suffer all these nonsense and yet the High Court had decided in favour of the government. Do you think it is a coincidence again? Do you think it is little napoleons at work again? NO, it is not; it is the informal policies of the government at work. That assh*le at the Registration Dept who issued this old lady a PR card instead of a citizen card has been trained from day one to be farting racist and he knows he will be tacitly supported by the highest level of the government. If you politicians can talk straight, cut your balls and hang them up. I have enough of diplomacy.
sorry, repost, mistake: If you politicians can’t talk straight, cut your balls and hang them up. I have enough of diplomacy
Always remember…Christians and Muslims disagreed on one thing and their Torats and Angels are the same.
Millions died for one differences and still fighting after centuries of differences in opinions.
But not once both ever disagreed on the word of “Allah” or other religious issues…except in Malaysia.
Do not fall into traps to talk religious issues.
MCA is nothing to Malaysians and Soi Lek trying hard to win Chinese votes with his ding dong bells…playing twisting and rocking tunes.
Let him make a fool of himself. MCA cannot afford to offend UMNO B and Soi Lek have just made a fool of himself…if you read his contradicting comments …when Myhiuddin F him.
Do not talk Constitutions when we know UMNO B could not care less.
You cannot prove how smart you are by proving UMNO B broke Constitutions which everyone knows…and that will not win votes.
Focus on CORRUPTIONS and Najib’s slogans…and do not forget Mahathir broke all his slogans too.
Prove Najib is a big liar and we will win.
So debate on any subjects…but do not fall into their traps.
Some smart idiots may want to prove how smart they are…and it is people like Mel_a_yu and cintanegara hoping to catch us fall into their traps to DEBATE on race and religion.
Force them to talk corruptions and recent events…besides debating with them on issues they bring out.
That’s why…I insult them back and do not debate.
THINK!!
And always remember…all religions are good.
It is always dictators and corrupt governments that twisted the interpretations to control minds.
Today….it is based on FAITH…and no more one God..or this and that.
///“Dr Chua should look into the Chinese problems. Why is there no support from the Chinese towards BN? In Selangor, there are virtually no new registered Chinese voters./// – Dr Khir Toyo
Chua Soi Lek should heed Dr Khir Toyo’s advice instead of making big show of his “achievement”!
///“Dr Chua should look into the Chinese problems. Why is there no support from the Chinese towards BN? In Selangor, there are virtually no new registered Chinese voters./// – Dr Khir Toyo
yshsiew is giving too much credit to this toyoman. You mean until now, we do not know why the Chinese are not supporting MCA (and Indians not supporting MIC). UMNO is the cause.
Now, CSL wants MCA members 2 tell Chinese d achievements of MCA
D biggest achievement of MCA members: they elected a blue-film actor as president
A Guinness world record indeed
CSL also used d old-trick of blaming PAS scaring off FDI 2 frighten voters
No mention of racist UmnoB, Perkasa, corruption of BN
Dis old farker shld just stick 2 his porno activities n leave politics alone