Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s denial that he had been inconsistent on the government policy on the teaching and learning of science and mathematics in English (PPSMI) has only made him a “flip-flop Minister who denies that he flip-flops” on PPSMI.
That Muhyiddin had “flip-flopped”, there is no need to go further than to quote the chairman of Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim who told the Malaysian Insider that she was “pleasantly surprised” by Muhyiddin’s announcement on PPSMI last Friday, “pointing out that until Thursday, Muhyiddin had appeared bent on pressing on with the government’s original decision to scrap PPSMI completely next year”. (The Malaysian Insider).
Controversial constitutional law academician, Aziz Bari has offered the view that PPSMI is unconstitutional in violating Article 152. He disagreed with the Kuala Lumpur High Court judgment by Justice Mohd Zawawi Salleh in May 2010 that it is constitutional for mathematics and science to be taught in English.
This is the second case where I do not agree with Aziz Bari , the other being his contention that hudud laws could be implemented without amendment of the Federal Constitution.
DAP had all along been consistent and principled in our stand on PPSMI.
DAP welcomes Muhyiddin’s announcement on PPSMI last Friday although it is not a satisfactory long-term solution to address the problems of raising the standards of English, mathematics and science among our students so that Malaysia can enhance our international competitiveness with the rest of the world.
When Muhyiddin announced the BN government decision to abolish the PPSMI in July 2009, I had described it as a Cabinet decision which was “as disastrous as the Cabinet decision in 2002 to rush headlong into implementing PPSMI for Std. One for all national, Chinese and Tamil primary schools without any preparation or research whatsoever”.
In my statement dated 13th July 2009, I had made four proposals for the Cabinet to “undo the various disasters of its decision on PPSMI”, viz:
• Endorsing the call of Parents Action Group for Education (Page) that schools should be given the option to teach science and mathematics in Bahasa Malaysia or English or in one’s mother tongue;
• Revert to the use of English as medium of instruction for mathematics and science in secondary schools;
• A flexible education approach that takes into account the urban-rural gap as well as the weaknesses of students, particularly in rural areas in proficiency in English, mathematics and science; and
• The important principle that advanced students should not be held back because of students who lagged behind academically.
Why did I say that the Cabinet decision in July 2009 to abolish the PPSMI was as disastrous as the 2002 Cabinet decision to implement the PPSMI? This was what I said in my statement of 13th July 2009:
“The Cabinet decision on PPSMI (Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik – teaching and learning of Science and Mathematics in English) is as disastrous as the Cabinet decision in 2002 to rush headlong into implementing PPSMI from Std. One for all national, Chinese and Tamil primary schools without any preparation or research whatsoever.
“Now, Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, in justifying the Cabinet’s latest decision on PPSMI has made the shocking revelation that before the PPSMI was launched six years ago, there had been neither discussion or approval by the Cabinet nor discussion with the parents.
“Several current Ministers were in the 2002 Mahathir Cabinet, including the present Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, DPM Muhyiddin himself, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Information, Communication and Culture Minister, Datuk Seri Rais Yatim, and they as well as the leaderships of Umno, MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SUPP and other Barisan Nasional component parties should all explain how they could permit such a far-reaching decision affecting the future generation of Malaysians to be taken in so haphazard and irresponsible a manner!
“I agree that the Cabinet decision on PPSMI last Wednesday came as ‘a bombshell to many, especially those in the urban areas’.
“Just before Najib’s Cabinet reshuffle on April 10, the then Education Minister Hishamuddin was expected to have proposed the reversion to mother tongue for mathematics and science only at primary level, while retaining PPSMI at the secondary level.
“As many had said, the complete reversal of PPSMI at both primary and secondary levels ‘has come as a real surprise’, as it is sheer political expediency which makes no educational sense whatsoever.
“For instance, last Wednesday’s Cabinet decision means that Malaysia will have the most crazy educational system, where students in Form 4 in 2012 will have to switch to Bahasa Malaysia for mathematics and science in the last two years of secondary education, after nine years of learning these two subjects in English – again to switch back to English for pre-university and tertiary education!
“Ministers who want millions of Malaysian students to go through the crazy system of nine years of mathematics and science in English from Std. 1 to Form 3, followed by two years in Bahasa Malaysia in Forms 4 and 5, and switch back again to English for pre-university and tertiary education must have their heads examined as to whether they are fit to be in Cabinet in the first place!”
As usual, many of our leaders do not have the ability to make independent, farsighted decision.
Seriously,i think those ministers must have their heads examined.Whatever implementation or proposal they put up did not make any sense at all.Something is very wrong with their heads.
Najib flip flops..Muhyiddin flip flops…why like that?
Because they are hypocritical weaklings…with no guts to say what they mean and mean what they say.
The try to fool Malaysians and they realized they are loosing People’s confidence…so switch.
It’s all about getting votes to confuse Malaysians.
Amidst all this debate about learning Math & Science in native language, it just gets to me that NO ONE has talked about the injustice that has been leveled at literally millions of Indian, Chinese, Sabahan AND Sarawakians that have had learn Math & Science in BM for DECADES since the 1970s. There were literally millions of them that had to learn NOT in their native language and suffered for it.
From next year there will begin thousands that will also continue to suffer the injustice in the name of ‘kebangsaan’.
Like it or not, to those and these children, English is more a native language for Math & Science than BM and will always be so.
Many so call defenders of national language but don’t all of you noticed that so call Bahasa Malaysia have many many direct translation from English eg Seksualiti, implikasi, kumunitu. artikel etc. It seem that Bahasa Malaysia have inadequate term as the world progress or they have the term but seem more sexy if they direct translate from English.
HOLY COW, GOT COW-sense aah? moooooooooo
///This is the second case where I do not agree with Aziz Bari , the other being his contention that hudud laws could be implemented without amendment of the Federal Constitution/// – YB Kit.
Kit is right and Aziz Bakri is wrong. Aziz says teaching and Learning of Science and Mathe-matics in English (PPSMI) is “unconstitutional” because according to the Constitution, “official business” must be conducted in Bahasa Malaysia as the national language. My reply is since when teaching and Learning of Science and Mathe-matics in English or for that matter the teaching of English an “official busines”???? The word “official”, in relation to business means that pertaining to an office or public trust, uusually government quasi govt or administrative. Check the dictionary. Maybe Aziz Bakri should himself improve his English.
Aziz iz also wrong about Hudud, which though are Shariah offences, they are still by nature criminal offences which are matter within the Federal List (not State list) in the Constitution. On matters relating to Crime/crimnal offences prescribed by Federal List to be under Federal jurisdiction
there can only be one frame of ONE (not DUAL) reference/jursidiction and authority – Federal- if the application of law were not to lead to absurd/unjust results. OPtherwise if State can promulgate hudud a Muslim is exposed to double jeopardy on being liable to be punished twice, once under Federtal penal; code, and then under Hudud. Likewise non muslims who are victims of crime will have uncertainty of seeing justice done when there is ambiguity of two standards eg under secular criminal law a rape can be proven by DNA in absence of 4 male devout Muslims witnessing the commission of the rape; also if we have two criminals one muslim and the other non muslim committing theft but notwitstanding same guilt we have the Muslim getting his hand chpped off and his non muslim accomplice serving 6 months jail! One can’t inmterpret law or constitution that leads to absurd results on application and enforcement – if it leads so then obviously the interpretation of law and constitution must be presumed wrong!
What is disconcerting is that when it comes to matters of religion (and (race) that thuggs and pulls at the heart and primodial sentiments, even highly qualified academic and intellectuals who are normally objective in assessment of all other issues, can lose objectivity and balance, keep their reasoning powers in suspension, in how they assess issues.
what is the problem? Number one is always flip-flopping and number two has just started to learn how to flip-flop
///Controversial constitutional law academician, Aziz Bari has offered the view that PPSMI is unconstitutional in violating Article 152. He disagreed with the Kuala Lumpur High Court judgment by Justice Mohd Zawawi Salleh in May 2010 that it is constitutional for mathematics and science to be taught in English.///–Kit
///Kit is right and Aziz Bakri is wrong. Aziz says teaching and Learning of Science and Mathe-matics in English (PPSMI) is “unconstitutional” because according to the Constitution, “official business” must be conducted in Bahasa Malaysia as the national language. My reply is since when teaching and Learning of Science and Mathe-matics in English or for that matter the teaching of English an “official busines”???? ///–Jeffrey
The law students who are taught by the professor Aziz Bari really have a problem. If they follow what are taught by Aziz Bari, they cannot be good lawyers; and if they don’t, they cannot pass the examinations.
Both minds are weak and not steady.
Advised to talk one way..turned out bad for them..then talk opposite ways….see what is the outcome….good or no good.
Nothing is good for Malaysians.
It is god or no good for themselves and which ways they choose to talk…Malaysians already know..both are flip floppers and flip floppers can never be trusted.
Imagine you have a boss..one day say yes..next day say no….how can you work under such crazy nuts?
flip sini lepas tu flop sana. Kalau boleh flip sekali lagi. Kali ni flip lah menuju ke arah sekolah jenis full english medium. Cam tu pasti cantik sekali. Muah. Muah. Muah.
Both NR n mooo r well suited 2 prepare roti canai
mooOO,roti telur lembu satu.
Jib,roti birkin garing garing pun satu.
1rotiflopper.
They are getting fat…always eating good food with stolen money.
They are actors with onion skins.