The national shame of Malaysia falling completely out of the list of the world’s Top 200 Universities this year in the 2007 Times Higher Education Supplement (THES)-Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings had been equaled by the scandal that this Malaysian ignominy had been totally ignored by last week’s Umno General Assembly, whether by Umno delegates or leaders.
This shows the superficiality of the commitment of Umno leaders to the slogan of “Cemerlang, Gemilang and Terbilang” and to transform Malaysia into a knowledge-based innovative economy marked by a world-class university system.
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had after the Umno General Assembly expressed his concern about the fall of Malaysian universities from the international league of best universities, but why wasn’t there a single reference to this shocking result in the Umno General Assembly, touted as the most important national political assembly of the country?
Further details have shown that Malaysian universities have suffered a very serious drop in the international league of the world’s best universities.
For the first time, there is not only not a single university in the Top 200 Universities list, there is also not a single university in the separate ranking of Top 100 Universities for five subject areas — Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities; Life Sciences and Biomedicine; and Engineering and Information Technology.
For the Top 200 Universities List, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Universiti Malaya (UM) had fallen out of the ranking, with UKM plunging from 185th slot last year to 309th while University fo Malaya plunged from 192nd last year to 246th spot. Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), which was ranked as the only “outstanding” five-star university in a recent government survey, has fallen to 307th spot from 277 last year. In 2005, USM was in the 326th spot.
The performance of Malaysian universities in the Top 100 lists for the five subject areas are even more dismal, with not a single university making into the five lists although last year University of Malaya was ranked 49 in Social Sciences and 95 in Natural Sciences, UKM was placed No. 62 in Natural Sciences and University Sains Malaysia placed No. 96 for Life Sciences and Biomedicine.
The National University of Singapore (NUS) (No. 33) is ranked among the Top 100 Universities for all the five categories while Nanyang Technological University (NTU) (No. 69) is ranked among the Top 100 universities for three categories, viz: Engineering & IT; Natural Sciences and Social Sciences.
NUS is ranked No. 10 for Engineering & IT; No. 12 for Life Sciences and Biomedicine, No. 25 for Natural Sciences; No. 20 for Social Sciences and and No. 21 for Arts & Humanities.
NTU is ranked No. 25 for Engineering & IT; No. 99 for Natural Sciences and No. 88 for Social Sciences.
Even Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University is rated among the Top 100 Universities for two categories — Engineering & IT (No. 100) and Social Sciences (No. 83)
Malaysians have not be told the real and true reasons for the shocking performance of Malaysian universities in the THES-QS Top 200 Universities ranking. Malaysian universities have been consistent in increasingly deplorable results in world rankings, whether the THES-QS, Shanghai Jiao Tong University World’s Best 500 Universities or the Newsweek’s Top 100 Global Universities.
If the government is serious about its slogan of “Cemerlang, Gemilang, Terbilang” to create a world-class university system to transform Malaysia into a knowledge-based innovative economy, it must end the NEP-mentality in the universities and fully restore the policy of meritocracy and academic excellence coupled with social need to provide university education opportunities to economically-backward Malaysians regardless of race.
All universities should be allowed to enroll the most qualified students, employ the most competent professors and researchers with competitive remunerations and restore a culture of academic excellence and freedom.
One simple test of whether the government is seriously committed to abandon the baggages of past NEP policies to create a world-class university system is whether it has the political will to end the brain drain depriving Malaysia of the best and brightest for the development of the country.
For a start, I call on the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to check the annual four-figure brain-drain of the best and brightest STPM students and Chinese Independent Secondary school students by providing them equitable higher education opportunities at home to demonstrate that the government is serious in wanting to build a world-class university system.
#1 by Daniel Quah on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 11:49 am
well..we really need the Kerismuddin now to wipe his keris and warned THES committee that they must put Malaysia U among top 100 …what a laughing stock if u happen to see even result of STPM as low as 50% marks can enrol in engineering and phamancy course..it is the NEP again? the UMNO putra need to wake up!! they are not compete against Non-BUmi..we have the whole world to compete..stop the discrimination toward Non-Bumi…brain drain issue have been dragging too long..are we gonna raise this again and again? when they gonna wake up? If UMNO so afraid non-BUmi will step on bumiputra in education..pls think again..u UMNO putra hold the power to admin the country..you can impose any rules and demand even the non-bumi is more brighten than bumi..again..from my 25 yrs in this country..i simply feel disappointed at some point…human never learn their mistake..may Gods help you all…
#2 by ahkok1982 on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 11:52 am
it all boils down to pride…. they can never ever choke on their own pride… their labeling of USM as a five star university is enough proof to show that they are still very much in the habit of syok sendiri.
#3 by k1980 on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 12:00 pm
Dollah might introduce a new methodology for determining the ranking of universities,where enrollment is entirely based on discriminatory affirmative action. Only in this way can Malaysian universities claim all the top 10 spots
#4 by HJ Angus on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 12:14 pm
There is no doubt that we are losing most of our talents, many by accident but mostly by design.
Most Malaysians even Bumis know that local Us are third grade and try to give their children an education overseas.
Just check out your friends who have children above 18 years old and you will find many with one of 2 children abroad.
I have all 4 children away from Malaysia; the nearest one being in Singapore.
Here is a simple and effective way to reform the local Us.
http://malaysiawatch3.blogspot.com/2007/11/we-share-pms-concern.html
#5 by voice on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 12:14 pm
“Cemerlang, Gemilang and Terbilangâ€Âin destroying the country and in making their pockets full.
#6 by HJ Angus on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 12:15 pm
sorry typo
“one of 2″ shd “be one or 2″
#7 by fm2 on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 12:24 pm
i’m chinese independent school student, after secondary school we all forced to go private U continue our study. those LOCAL u for those ‘useless dropout’, 50% as passing mark, may be 55% for distinction. how can this standard not drop?
lead by bodohwi… all become bodoh.
#8 by sotong on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 12:33 pm
This is one of the country’s greatest failure – providing low quality education to the people and grossly neglecting non bumi education aspirations.
#9 by Traveller on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 12:52 pm
The only solution acceptable to the govt is one that involves their own people. I am convinced from personal experience that they would rather see the tertiary education system goes down the drain then to see another group of more capable people taking over.
There is this problem of “air muka” which has to be addressed.
There are many Malaysians or former Malaysians out there who would be glad to come back to teach for a short spell and then return to their permanent jobs. They won’t be a threat to the livelihood of the Malays because they have their own permanent jobs overseas. The only problem is that these foreign academics are non-Malays.
#10 by Traveller on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 1:08 pm
HJ Angus says at (http://malaysiawatch3.blogspot.com/2007/11/we-share-pms-concern.html).. All the government needs to do is to privatise one of the local Us and grant them full autonomy to operate without being restricted by any laws related to universities. Perhaps one of the more established colleges will be able to show the way.
Give them 5 years to improve and I am sure it will solve many of our problems.
————
They tried that and go nowhere. Remember MUST that was set up with MIT’s help? Now, MIT appears to be making every effort to try to dissociate itself from MUST.
#11 by YY88 on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 1:09 pm
If the ministar of Education can behave like a street hooligan, what can the education system under his jurisdiction achieve?
Even by giving him the benefit of doubt due to his undesirable influence by the moronic ‘primate KJ’, he should
have conduct himself in a more diplomatic manner.
No where in this universe could you find another heading such an important ministry behaving like him.
………..
#12 by LINLIANI on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 1:27 pm
No need call PM, but just ask MCA “4 heros” – OKT, CKC, CSL and FCO to explain to PM and his cabinet why chinese independent school students better than malay students. Althought never get money from BN govt, but chinese independent school students still perform good result in every year STPM exam.
If govt allow chinese independent school students to do futher study in our local university, i am quite sure our ranking is better than now.
What to do, people still support this ‘rubbish 90% majority govt’ ! What can we hope from our BN (Bodoh and Nonsense) leaders? Sorry, is nothing !!
#13 by malaysia_mana_boleh on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 1:35 pm
Do you think the government gives a damn?
Hell No!
The only thing that matters is the major representation of bumiputras in the local uni. Quantity beats quality anytime for these people. They do not really care if the standard has gone down the drain, they do not care if the graduates are not fully competent. What matters is ALL bumiputras must/will enter uni for the sake of being the majority.
Had they practiced meritocracy, the % of bumi in uni will drop to a shocking 5%.
Mana ada muka (Where got face) if that happens????
Air muka mesti dijaga ooiiiii….
Tak kisah lar standard jatuh keh, negara mampus keh, brain drain keh, AIR muka mesti dijaga!!!!
#14 by malaysia_mana_boleh on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 1:44 pm
Testimony of how bad Malaysian Education is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1_GQ-K7P_w
When a Minister of the country could not even construct a proper sentence in the English Language, you can only deduce that:
Malaysia Education has NO QUALITY.
#15 by sotong on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 1:45 pm
Irrespective of what NEP is trying to achieve, every citizen has a right to good education and achieve his/her very best.
Narrow, short sighted, divisive and discriminative education policies had done enormous damage to country.
#16 by chin8lee on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 1:52 pm
1. What happened to the better than MIT that they were going to build out in Trengganu.. ?? Have they spent all the allocation before breaking ground,some one’s idea of a joke or allocation diverted elsewhere?
2. Send a broom to the Eduction Minister.
3. Where is the Education Minister and all the other Mininsters sending their kids?
#17 by jack on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 2:24 pm
I knew quite a few of Malaysian who don’t really appreciate NTU, Singapore as a world class university. Always complaining here and there. But, think about it again, at least we are better off than our counterpart in Malaysia.
Education in Singapore is always in change for better solution. yet the education in Malaysia seeks to remain unchanged. There’s on Chinese sayings that å¦如逆水行舟，ä¸Â进则退. which roughly mean that if you dont improve, then you are becoming worse.
Thus, it’s time for the AAB to revamp the education system. Though it’s very pain-staking process. but If the Malaysian education is not changing for better, then we can only prepare for the worst for our next generation.
#18 by MidClassMsian on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 3:02 pm
Middle class chinese have been suffering in silence in so many decades. I scored 7 A1s in SPM but fail to score a credit in BM. Therefore I had to go to private school for Form 6 and forced to change from science stream to commerce which was not my initial plan. I couldn’t study in overseas due to financial constraints. Having scored 7As by answering those papers in BM, but failed to score even a credit for BM puzzled me really.
I sat for STPM which is definitely one of the toughest exams in this whole wide world. Knowing that our fellow bumis friends have the choice of not sitting for STPM and yet still able to gain entry to local Us is another interesting point.
Let me share with you how evaluation was made to determine who goes into which course. STPM results were translated into points (ie A-16pts, B-14pts, etc) and for every level total points, different courses were allocated to applicants. I had 68 out of 80. In truth, I didn’t have many choices. I ended up with Public Admin which was not what I wanted. I wanted Economics (cut-off was 70). The system seemed so simple. Many of us ended up studying some bizarre courses.
I thought I had seen enough, but I was very wrong.
While in university, even a blind student can feel and see the (BIG) differences between bumis and non-bumis students in terms of english language proficiency, intellectual quality and academic excellence. I think only bumis are ignorant of that fact. Perhaps they are not ignorant, but like i said before, there can find no other ways to compete, other than to receive special treatments and privileges.
Please wake up! Our government is hurting a lot of people: to bumis, by pampering and making things so easy for them and making them weak; to non bumis, by depriving them of just and fair education. this in turn is bad for the country’s development and so-called unity of people.
Things will not go on like this forever when money is wasted, talents are chased away from the country and having sub-standard people governing the country. It will stop. A revolution might be required. We have seen it happens to so many countries. Who will suffer? The people, us.
It’s a very selfish government that we are having now, not to mention a silly, kiasi and ignorant one too.
We have to fight against gimmicks, mainstream media and dishonest government.
#19 by Libra2 on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 3:44 pm
UMNO is really not bothered about local university standards since its leaders send their children overseas even for primary education.
I understand even the education minister, (what’s his name), has a daughter doing A level in Australia.
This education system is for the gullible UMNO supporters in the kampongs who think going to local universities is a big deal.
#20 by shiock on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 4:04 pm
No wonder that we have about 30,000 uni graduates being unemployed because the quality of learning and lectures becoming from bad to worse. Thats why they want to impose 30% bumi staff in the private sector because the graduates will have problems finding their job outside apart from the Govt and the Govt will have a problem in accomodating all of them.
What is the role and responsibilities of the Minister of Higher Education in this matter?? Why we need this new portfolio since 2004 if there is not much improvement except employing more bumi civil servants in the new Ministry.
The news of the ranking have been highlighted prominently in Singapore news and guess that will be the talk (and laugh) of the town
#21 by chisinau on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 4:29 pm
Just need to ask Kerishamudin to reveal all his children’s education records, if he still insist that all his education policies were the best for the country.
Last heard, all his children went to Alice Smith International School.
#22 by shaolin on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 4:33 pm
Just tell KerisMuddin off directly that he is NOT a Magician
and Cannot change the placing of MU to
#23 by akarmalaysian on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 4:33 pm
self labelling of 5 star is only for those dimwiths fooling the kampong folks.ya…wats the big deal going into our own universities with such poor rankings and poor recognition.till today i bet majority of these students dun even knw how to write and talk in english.nowadays our which of our kids cant understand bahasa be it indians,chinese, sikhs or others….these kids can converse so well in bahasa and english.and yet we can still find too many useless goons who dun qualify and yet can enter the universities who are not able to understand english.these are the “fair” system the government has been providing us.and an idiot recently suggested that the subjects on maths and science be converted into bahasa.now u see why our system is always failing?too many lagak pandai pandai idiots who think they knw wat to do with our education system.nowadays our universities are for those who cant qualify to be anywhr in the world.our universities dont recognise credibilty just like the governments administration.dats why we forever will hv dimwits and scumbags leaders who dont even knw wat they are talking abt.just look at our government…sikit sikit orang caci saja nak lompat like kena belacan.they cant face reality cos they wanna save their face.u can lie just abt anything to ur own people but u cant lie to urself and the world.everything abt this government are all lies.its not abt giving bumis the priority but be fair with the non bumis who are much better off in their academics.this government will always turn a deaf ear to the peoples plight.just take a good look at our present education minister,our lecturers,our students and worse of all our scumbag ministers.and yet we wanna talk abt space tecnology?
#24 by akarmalaysian on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 4:46 pm
p/s: 50% passing marks shows that how low and how fair our government is treating the non bumis.it says it all.thats whr malaysian stupidity comes from.as for our education minister…if u think u can still feel proud of wats happening today…it just simply shows and make us wonder how u manage to be a minister at all.dun be offended pls…u are just a human and a fellow citizen like us except that ur a holding a post and i am holding a rice bowl telling myself how many members of the family i hv to feed everyday.these 4 years….all we see is the further deteriorating standard of our education system due to u guys “air muka” attitude.dun feel proud….we shud honor u with a golden broom…better still…it will come with a dustpan.
#25 by twistedmind on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 5:15 pm
Local graduates are only qualified to be shop assistants at the mall. That is what one girl I interviewed told me, when she applied for a general clerk job. She even hid her UKM Degree! I don’t blame her, as her knowledge could only take her as far as handling a shop assistant role!
Local graduates, dream on……….Minister of Education and Higher Education, keep cheating the rakyat with your bull. Hell awaits you.
#26 by old dad on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 5:37 pm
Hi everyone. From the postings, it looks like most of are not spare either.A poor command of English. Or is the new style/way?
#27 by democrate on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 5:49 pm
[deleted]
#28 by optimuz on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 6:15 pm
you guys are unbelievable! Do you not also realize that there are many non-malay local graduates and who bloody well outdo some of the so-called ‘brilliant’ graduates from overseas??
I mean seriously, I have a cousing who’s an econs grad from UUM but I would rate her a hell of a lot better than some of the foreign educated graduates I interviewed…some of which still could not string a bloody sentence in english together.
Come on! be fair…not all of them are the spoonfed, laid back type…and that includes the bumis! sheesh…bloody racists!
#29 by Daniel Quah on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 6:59 pm
quatity is more important than quality…btw we are aiming for 70mil population by 2020…the question is…70% of the population is malas, spoon fed, easy going.. like a game i play …a clan which consist of 240 player cannot defeat a clan which have only 60 player..i once ask the elite clan how they defeat 240 player with only 60 player..the answer is ..we go for quality player..
#30 by tsn on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 7:04 pm
Space Nation Dreamers should wake up by this ranking. It will be a total waste of resources(not much left) to embark into any space related project, we are certainly not there yet. One national airline yet to fly steadily in the inner space, let alone a spaceship in the outer space.
#31 by Loyal Malaysian on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 8:20 pm
Will the government undertake remedial actions?
Nah! it will ignore all the constructive remarks even though some are hurting.
Yes , at the end of the day it is folks who do not have any options but let their children go through our public education system that suffers.
But I supposed the ruling elites are happy as it means their children coimg back from overseas can continue their feudal rule.
So, the sosial divide is perpetuated.
#32 by DarkHorse on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 8:35 pm
“I mean seriously, I have a cousing who’s an econs grad from UUM but I would rate her a hell of a lot better than some of the foreign educated graduates I interviewed…” optimuz
This is true in some cases and this comment deserves the kind of attention it needs BUT for the fact the commentator here seems to have an axe to grind.
It is your flawed reasoning that leads you to this conclusion. But as an employer you should know that the law of averages should prompt right thinking employers with no axe of his or her own to grind, to look at an overseas graduate also for the experience he gains studying in another country. In many cases paper qualifications don’t matter that much unless of course you’re looking at research and development.
Then there are those with ‘good’ local degrees but do badly when the job requires independent thinking and reasoning – anything requiring thinking outside the box is out of the question. Doing well in exams after years of learning by rote produce candidates who are immature intellectually. Their communication skills are suspect on most occasions. And I’m not referring to the mentally ‘challenged’ sons of the soil.
An Indian (Eurasian) local grad I know has a first class degree from UM. She’s really good in her field. She’s a combination of beauty and brains. But she’s so immature in her ways. She’s better off teaching.
#33 by assamlaksa on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 8:51 pm
Compared to the Chinese, education is not part of Malay culture. History tells it all. For example, the Malays do not have their own indigenous handwriting, early written records were mostly written in Jawi which is actually Arabic. There is hardly any famous historic literature save for Hikayat Raja-raja Pasai, Sejarah Melayu and Hikayat Hang Tuah. Many earlier hikayats are based on Hindus or Middle east tales such as Hikayat Iskandar Zulkarnain and Hikayat Seri Rama.
Even today I see many Malay parents neglect their children’s education. They couldn’t be bothered whether their children attended class or do their homework. Compare this to a typical Chinese family where most parent would want their children to attend tuition classes if they can afford it. The Chinese schools do not receive full funding from the Government yet they survive due to financial support from the Chinese community.
On tackling unemployed graduates, UMNO wants to force public listed companies to take in 30% bumis. On the other hand MCA is advocating Life Long Learning.
Just ask around: Who would you employ if you are a boss looking for employees?
a) Leavers from TAR College or MARA College/ITM?
b) Graduates from UTAR or UiTM?
Oh yeah, MARA College/ITM is now UiTM
(Bear in mind TAR College and UTAR is open to all races, whereas
MARA College/ITM and UiTM are restricted to one race only)
Talking about space travel, the Government is going to spend more
money again to buy the second hand space craft just to show Malay
Boleh.
#34 by wtf2 on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 9:25 pm
what happened to the apex university huh? waiting for another koridor pelajaran?
#35 by undergrad2 on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 10:26 pm
“Compare this to a typical Chinese family where most parent would want their children to attend tuition classes if they can afford it. The Chinese schools do not receive full funding from the Government yet they survive…”
This is why the NEP in the long run is said to have worked and is working against the Malays themselves. The Chinese have become more competitive and more resilient. The Chinese are better because of the racial discrimination rather than in spite of it.
Many will disagree to my taking such a philosophical approach to what is a human rights issue. I accept that.
#36 by Filibuster on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 11:31 pm
YB Lim Says:
Malaysians have not be told the real and true reasons for the shocking performance of Malaysian universities in the THES-QS Top 200 Universities ranking. Malaysian universities have been consistent in increasingly deplorable results in world rankings, whether the THES-QS, Shanghai Jiao Tong University World’s Best 500 Universities or the Newsweek’s Top 100 Global Universities.
—————————————–
The real and true reasons? I’d like to know what you think are the real and true reasons, YB. Every year it seems that the reason is “some adjustment to the marking system that penalises us!” (or at least that’s what they all say…).
***
optimuz Says:
you guys are unbelievable! Do you not also realize that there are many non-malay local graduates and who bloody well outdo some of the so-called ‘brilliant’ graduates from overseas??
I mean seriously, I have a cousing who’s an econs grad from UUM but I would rate her a hell of a lot better than some of the foreign educated graduates I interviewed…some of which still could not string a bloody sentence in english together.
Come on! be fair…not all of them are the spoonfed, laid back type…and that includes the bumis! sheesh…bloody racists!
———————————-
I agree with your opinion in the sense that not all local graduates are incapable, among other bad qualities people commonly assosiate them with. Furthermore, as you may have already experienced, the converse is true for foreign graduates – certainly not all will be as good as people make them out to be. However, it is important to note that while your call for a fairer view on things is welcome, the fact still remains that only a small percentage of university graduates nowadays are ready to compete with their foreign counterparts.
Sad as it may be, employers tend to look out for names of universities a graduate comes from. For example, take this situation, if you had to hire someone to manage your operations, would you consider a Yale graduate, or a University Malaya graduate, assuming that both students did fairly well in their courses? Yes, you may say that there is a need to look into other factors and all, but for most people there is already a swing of favor towards the foreign graduate after that criteria is analysed.
Why is this so? The drop in standard of our local universities! Remember, this does not only burden those who graduate as of now, but those who have graduated from those universities before – since there is this “we all drop together” effect as a result of the “employer looking at name” thing I mentioned earlier. In other words, the “image of the universities” depend on their competitve standard – if people think the university is a good one (tough to enter etc), chances are they rate those degress better. If your cousin is good at what she does, my hat’s off to her – but the job market will be a big test because of precisely this, in my opinion.
***
undergrad2 Says:
This is why the NEP in the long run is said to have worked and is working against the Malays themselves. The Chinese have become more competitive and more resilient. The Chinese are better because of the racial discrimination rather than in spite of it.
Many will disagree to my taking such a philosophical approach to what is a human rights issue. I accept that.
——————————
I agree, actually.
I believe that over generations and generations of conflict, disaster, discrimination etc, the Chinese people have learnt how to survive even in the hardest environments. So many of the Chinese settlers came from China (to a variety of places from Malaysia to as far as the USA) with nothing more than the clothes on their back, but over the years have managed to become relatively wealthy. Coincidence? Hmm….
That said though, I believe this factor only applies to those who are affected by hardship; to some extent the new generation is spoilt by the wealth of their forefathers – similar to elite Malays, there are elite Chinese too. And complacency remains a danger for both classes in this case.
——————————
#37 by assamlaksa on Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - 11:32 pm
“The Chinese have become more competitive and more resilient. The Chinese are better because of the racial discrimination rather than in spite of it.”
I agree with you. Today’s Chinese need to work harder than those 50 years ago. 50 years ago 3 Chinese subsidize 2 Malays, today, 1 Chinese subsidizes
3 Malays with shrinking economic pie when the Malays had controlled almost
everything in country: Cabinet, Parliment, Judiciary, Local Councils, Police, Armed Forces, ACA, GLCs, Petroluem, Universities, Bank Negara and Commercial banks, Agriculture, Medias, Automobile industry etc, etc.
Probably only Gambling industry and alcoholic drink haven’t been taken over by Malays yet.
#38 by Traveller on Thursday, 15 November 2007 - 12:15 am
Don’t be too confident about Chinese resiliency. Resiliency has its limits. Otherwise, why did our ancestors migrate out of China? Just ask why would you have to work so many times harder for the same thing? The laws of Physics say you are wasting your efforts. It is like pulling and pushing forward one step and slide back two steps. We should be expecting more if we work harder not less. In the end, even the tortoise would catch up.
#39 by limkamput on Thursday, 15 November 2007 - 1:11 am
Traveller,
So true, fully agree with you. Ultimately every race needs fair play. Just look at Indian Malaysians. Didn’t at one time they did reasonably well. Look at them now.
#40 by DarkHorse on Thursday, 15 November 2007 - 1:21 am
“In the end, even the tortoise would catch up.” Traveller
In the end interviewees for jobs the likes of this “limkamput” here would have his ass kicked right out the door.
#41 by Beh dah-han on Thursday, 15 November 2007 - 2:35 am
There are cases of individuals who failed their papers abroad, and then graduated in local varsity a year later. That is why local Us where got standard. What to do under the present policy, we as non-bumis no matter how cleaver we are, we are deemed to be stupid! Whereas for them it is the other way round
#42 by waterman on Thursday, 15 November 2007 - 3:27 am
The French had been one nation that has shun away from English language for so long but they are now putting a lot of English emphasis in schools. Business enterprises here are incresingly looking for graduates with good command of English. Even them have felt the heat from global market competition and the inevitable need to polish up their English.
Singapore has gone off on a good start by choosing English as their primary language and at the same time making it compulsory for all students to study their own ethnic language so that they don’t lose their own unique culture. They have invested heavily into education and they still do.
We recently heard that our government will be allocating some RM 60+ millions for Indian schools but this is a real joke because it is still ‘pea nut’ and like they say when you pay peanuts, you get …..
Honestly if we can humble ourselves we should learn from our neighbor Singapore’s education system.
#43 by sotong on Thursday, 15 November 2007 - 6:00 am
Those who survived these narrow, short sighted and discriminative education policies are now stronger….but many have their dreams, careers and lives ruined too.
This is a direct result of decades of too much pride and arrogance with no/little leadership of responsibility, accountability and competency.
#44 by smeagroo on Thursday, 15 November 2007 - 6:49 am
I think if we were given a “30%” headstart in this or “crutches” we still wont get into the top 100.
#45 by tsn on Thursday, 15 November 2007 - 7:43 am
Olddad,
This is the product of National Language as medium of instruction. For those who are not lucky enough to have environment which English is still widely use, unless you are real bright & self-taught person, you are destined not to have good grasp of English. Please give a clap or two for those with poor English yet still courageous enough to take part in this blog.
Poor English of students, university teaching staff(maybe) could be the reasons for this dismal ranking. Today rapid changing world knowledge advance, change and absolete with a blink of eyes, only with reasonable standard of English, we manage to follow suit, let alone to advance, discover new knowledge.
Another pathetic state of education is just a door step away.If an effective rescue plan is not found immediately to address the problem of “Maths & Sciences in English”, instead of raising up the standard of English, Maths & Sciences are in 642th spot.
#46 by dawsheng on Thursday, 15 November 2007 - 7:47 am
“If the government is serious about its slogan of “Cemerlang, Gemilang, Terbilang ”
Who said anything about being serious, it is just a slogan.
#47 by sotong on Thursday, 15 November 2007 - 8:24 am
Access to good education is the birth right of all citizens.
When was it OK to grossly disdvantage certain groups to achieve one’s narrow, damaging and short sighted political objectives at the great expense of the country?
Urgent assistance and compensation should be considered for those affected – whose careers and/or lives ruined.
#48 by megaman on Thursday, 15 November 2007 - 9:52 am
Talk is cheap, action is gold …
The current government been doing too much NATO (No Action Talk Only)
You see the PM and the ministers advocating that and suggesting this, but did you see them making any real progress or doing anything really effective ? No.
Education, public safety and health, the three main pillars of any nations are being eroded everyday by our current incompetent government. Stop the damage before irreversible damages are done to these 3 pillars of nationhood.
#49 by wantonhead on Thursday, 15 November 2007 - 10:02 am
“Kiasu” is the first word came into the mind, for some public. Instead of getting your child to overseas U, why not here in Malaysia.
One have to take these into consideration; the quality they put into their U, the opportunity, the quota & etc.
All parents want their child to excel, but in the fisrt place, do we have any choice. They work like a dog or cow or whatever, with one point in common. They want their childs to get a better learning and living environment.
Don’t say “Chinese is Kiasu & well off”.
Do we have a choice?
#50 by optimuz on Thursday, 15 November 2007 - 10:36 am
Darkhorse,
I do have an axe to grind. Especially with supremacist behaviour.
Agree on the comment on the law of averages…but, considering some of the comments here, the perception was, lock, stock and barrell out from local U’s are rubbish…and that, is certainly not true.
Similarly, not all coming out from prestigious universities are that brilliant either. You hit the jackpot when you compared Yale and UM…but the fact is, all things considered equal, its the perception that tilts the balance.
And therein lies the issue, too often, perception tends to be formed by prejudiced opinion and mainstream thinking. We would do well to move away from that.
The rat race for success has prompted the stakes to be raised at every level. Kids are expected to know ABC’s before even joining kindergarten…by the time they’re in primary 1, they must know how to read.
Parents are sending kids for tuition at the ages of 4 and 5!! Did we have to endure this way back then?? Have we not done well ourselves despite the ‘slower’ pace?
What really do we want to achieve?? Have we really progressed when we spend less time with the family and sacrifice more for simple pleasures??