Disastrous TIMSS 2007 results – Hishammuddin’s flippant and irresponsible response


I am not the only one to be astounded by the flippant and irresponsible response of the Education Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to my statement asking him to break his month-long silence and explain Malaysia’s disastrous showing in the 60-nation Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007 for Year-8 secondary students.

Malaysia’s TIMSS 2007 performance was most dismal in the three four-yearly TIMSS participated by our students since 1999, with the lowest score for both mathematics and science, with 474 points for mathematics and 471 for science (500 is the TIMSS scale average), when Malaysia scored mostly above average in the previous TIMSS.

Malaysia’s comparative performance in the 1999, 2003 and 2007 TIMSS are:

Mathematics 1999 2003 2007

Ranking 16 10 20

Score 519 508 474

Science 1999 2003 2007

Ranking 22 20 21

Score 492 510 471

Since the international release of the TIMSS 2007 on December 9, 2008, there had been intense public debate involving the educational authorities, educational NGOs and concerned parents in all the participating countries on the results of TIMSS 2007 and their impact on their respective education policy and in particular how to improve the teaching and learning in mathematics and science for their pupils – except for Malaysia.

If Hishammuddin could announce Malaysia’s TIMSS 2003 performance within 24 hours of the international release of the results in December 2004, why is the reason for Hishammuddin thunderous silence for over a month about the TIMSS 2007 results?

Is this just because Malaysia had plunged from No. 10th placing for maths and 20th placing for science in TIMSS 2003 to 20th placing for maths and 21st placing for science inTIMSS 2007?

There can be no justification for keeping the Malaysian public in the dark about the findings of Malaysia’s performance in TIMSS 2007 and I had asked Hishammuddin to explain the reason for this month-long “conspiracy of silence”.

All Hishammuddin could say was his tongue-in-cheek response that I was just creating the issue for the Kuala Terengganu by-election.

This is the height of irresponsibility and arrogance.

Is Hishammuddin delaying a full ministerial accounting for Malaysia’s disastrous showing in the TIMSS 2007 for another three months, expecting a Cabinet reshuffle after the ascension of Datuk Seri Najib Razak as Prime Minister and his moving up the Cabinet ladder – which will leave the responsibility for explaining Malaysia’s dismal results in TIMSS 2007 to the new Education Minister?

This is too transparent a ploy and a most unworthy one!

Hishammuddin should stop evading and avoiding the issue. Stand up like a responsible Education Minister and answer the many questions about Malaysia’s disastrous performance in TIMSS 2007 and the month-long “conspiracy of silence”!

  1. #1 by pulau_sibu on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 12:11 pm

    we must have the best education system in the world.
    our kids got so many A in their exam such as SPM and STPM.
    In boleh, if you sit for the exam, you will be guaranteed to get A.

  2. #2 by undergrad2 on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 12:32 pm

    “Is this just because Malaysia had plunged from No. 10th placing for maths and 20th placing for science in TIMSS 2003 to 20th placing for maths and 21st placing for science inTIMSS 2007?”

    The reason why Malaysia is currently ranked 20th is because Malaysia was ranked highly at 10th place earlier. So isn’t that cause for celebration?? That’s completely logical!

  3. #3 by monsterball on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 1:06 pm

    What kind of logic is that…undergrade2
    From 10th position..plunged to 20th…reasons for celebrations?
    Are you trying to be sarcastic to the government ..or are you talking serious?

  4. #4 by taiking on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 1:07 pm

    Ai ya why make so much noise? 20 21 ok wat! Not good meh? See actually we got improve. We also got astronut. If no improve then where got spaceman? And tall building and crystal mosque where got one if no improve? Boom like that drop from sky ah? See we always got improve one. Look proton. You think easy ah? Huh? Make proton very easy ah? And dont forget proton at one time hoh also got take over italian motocycle company. If hoh we not good you think possible ah? Italian company can simply simply take over one ah? Not play-play one. Real one. You see hoh. Kerismudin raise keris to poke god’s backside. You know or not? If we hoh not good enough hoh you think he can like that do ah? Sure liao. Sure one. But if good enough then ok. Then can poke.

    I hoh born out of umno gobermen no-meritocracy system. See I very intelligent hoh. If send me ah sure malaysia no.1 one.

  5. #5 by k1980 on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 1:09 pm

    The 2007 TIMSS scores are an indication that the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English is a failure. Kerismuddin will next recommend the teaching of Mathematics and Science in Arabic. Reason is that there were great Arab thinkers during the Dark Ages of Europe. Never mind about the Dark Ages in the Arab world today.

  6. #6 by monsterball on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 1:14 pm

    Off the post….Najib said…”Divide We Fall”….headline at Straits Times….on his Terengganu by election speech.
    UMNO keep on dividing Malaysians to rule….yet Najib is warning MALAYSIANS….not to be divided???
    Will Terengganu voters be fooled by him…doing exactly like Mahathir style…..twisting and turning ….like a snake?
    I simply cannot understand UMNO’s mentalities.
    Can you?

  7. #7 by OrangRojak on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 1:29 pm

    “Groping in the dark” …
    UMNO Youth chief at 48 years old

    My funny foreign mind is reeling!

    Somebody explain to me what is so wrong with Political Party Youth chiefs being Youths themselves? It strikes me that an opportunity for a young person to take responsibility and become a role model is being lost. I have no doubt the youth should have mentors, advisers, even role models themselves, but please, 48 year old members of Youth groups? Perhaps it’s a matter of taste.

    I have to brush my teeth now. Maybe I’ll have a wash while I’m there.

  8. #8 by k1980 on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 1:29 pm

    Malaysia is a country with two laws — one for Barisan Nasional and another for the opposition. I suppose this is not surprising when we have two classes of citizens — Bumiputeras and Pendatangs (or Pengsquatters).

    by Raja Petra Kamarudin

    There is one rule for Barisan Nasional and another for Pakatan Rakyat. Pakatan Rakyat needs a police permit to organise ceramahs. However, when they do apply for one, the police reject the application on ‘technical’ grounds.

    Many opposition ceramahs during the ongoing Kuala Terengganu by-election campaign are, therefore, classified as ‘illegal assemblies’. Nurul Izzah Anwar has been summoned to the police station for her ‘statement to be recorded’ because she spoke in a ceramah that did not have a police permit and, therefore, was regarded as an illegal assembly.

    Umno does not suffer this same problem. Umno ceramahs are not only allowed but the police even provide outriders to escort the VIPs to these ceramahs. Opposition ceramahs too have a heavy police presence. But the police are there to instruct the opposition to end their ‘illegal assemblies’, or else……..

    DAP and PKR have been told to take down their flags. DAP and PKR, according to the Elections Commission, are not contesting the election. Therefore their flags should not be put up. Only PAS flags are allowed.

    Umno, MCA and MIC are also not contesting the election. Barisan Nasional is. But Umno, MCA and MIC flags can be put up, alongside the Barisan Nasional flags.

    When JERIT organised the cycling expedition recently, the police took action and arrested the participants because, according to the police, it is against the law to use children for political purposes. But Umno and Barisan Nasional not only can use children for politics, but can use them for election campaigning as well.

  9. #9 by Mr Smith on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 2:09 pm

    Hishammuddin is the most irresponsible and inefficient Education Minister this country had ever had.
    Need I say more.

  10. #10 by limkamput on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 3:07 pm

    Monsterball, Undergrad2 is talking serious. He is the most logical guy here so whatever he said is serious to the core.

  11. #11 by Kelvenho on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 3:09 pm

    In our Malaysian Education system, the BN government will try to lower the passing marks for all the exams. such as SPM & STPM. The result is that every year we will have a lot of students scoring a string of A. But to compete internationally our students will fare badly. I am not surprise.

  12. #12 by cto on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 3:09 pm

    monsterball Says:

    Today at 13: 06.34 (1 hour ago)
    What kind of logic is that…undergrade2
    From 10th position..plunged to 20th…reasons for celebrations?

    ———————–

    Let me try and explain the logic.

    At time T0, the cardinailty of set X is n, where X is set consisting of countries that participated in this study. At time T1, where T1 is later than T0, the cardinality of the set increase by e, where e is short for epsilon i.e. a small increase if T1-T0 is a small positive delta in time. However, as T1-T0 becomes large, e increases and therefore the cardinality of the set now is large. Assuming that new members of the set have an equal probabilty of being better than members of the set at T0, then if e is large, going from the 10th to 20th is actually not only expected but is considered good given that e is large when T1-T0 is large. Celebration is an expected event cos’ there are sufficient and necessary conditions for celebration.

    Does this make sense? Or is it more probable that undergrad2 is being sarcastic?

    Contrary to the logic which I have just outlined, I think undergrad2 is being sarcastic.

  13. #13 by pulau_sibu on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 3:45 pm

    Our leaders have finally grown up, calling UN to try Israel over war in Gaza. I must say the human rights in boleh is not much better, with the government marginalizing some of the minorities. This government should also be condemned and tried in international courts

  14. #14 by Justitia on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 4:57 pm

    Kit, I think you hit the nail on the head with the statement below:

    “Since the international release of the TIMSS 2007 on December 9, 2008, there had been intense public debate involving the educational authorities, educational NGOs and concerned parents in all the participating countries on the results of TIMSS 2007 and their impact on their respective education policy and in particular how to improve the teaching and learning in mathematics and science for their pupils – except for Malaysia.”

    While other countries are looking for opportunities to improve, we are busily “celebrating” as per Undergrad 2’s post. Never mind if the scores and rankings go down. This is just normal variation as any student of statistics will tell you. :-)

    We are too focussed on our hypocritical one-sided support of human suffering in the Middle East to analyze the results and formulate actions for improvement.

  15. #15 by homeblogger on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 6:23 pm

    Kelvenho Says:

    Today at 15: 09.01 (2 hours ago)
    In our Malaysian Education system, the BN government will try to lower the passing marks for all the exams. such as SPM & STPM. The result is that every year we will have a lot of students scoring a string of A. But to compete internationally our students will fare badly. I am not surprise.

    ==================

    In other words… why bother? Our education system is designed to paint a rosy picture for a certain race. Who cares if they can’t compete in the global market? Who cares if they can’t get jobs because they can’t speak proper English? They live under a tempurung and they just have to be jaguh kampung to be satisfied and proud of themselves.

    Today, in the primary schools (SK), we have the Bahasa Malaysia papers 1 & 2 which carry individial marks. However, for English, there is paper 1 & 2 which are combined to produce one single mark. If in the future the Tuans still find it hard to compete, then easy only – split the BM papers into 5, 10, 20 papers that all carry individual marks, then also split the English, Maths and Science papers into 20 individual papers but all combined into one single mark. That way, the Tuans have a much better chance of competing.

    But of course, even if the Tuans STILL cannot compete after bending ALL the rules to their advantage, they have the NEP to take care of them. They can also be a Government servant. After all, it is our responsibililty to pay taxes to cover the salary of millions of people to sit around. We must remember… Najib says that they will be taken care of from the cradle to the grave.

  16. #16 by Ramesh Laxman on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 8:20 pm

    Education: What is left in you after you have forgotten what you have learnt.

  17. #17 by undergrad2 on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 8:49 pm

    monsterball Says:
    Today at 13: 06.34 (7 hours ago)
    What kind of logic is that…undergrade2
    From 10th position..plunged to 20th…reasons for celebrations?
    Are you trying to be sarcastic …”

    You might want to look at it as another below-the-belt blow of Cambridge upstart and his logical thinking!

  18. #18 by Godfather on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 8:55 pm

    Yes, Kit, you shouldn’t be bringing this up at by-election time. In fact, you shouldn’t be bringing up at all. Why bring up PKFZ, Eurocopter, Labu airport scam, crime, corruption, etc etc ?

    Compared to Zimbabwe, we are so much better off. We haven’t yet printed our RM 50,000,000 note.

  19. #19 by undergrad2 on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 8:57 pm

    cto is right on the money.

  20. #20 by simon041155 on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 8:59 pm

    What can you expect from Hishammuddin? He is where he is because of his father.

  21. #21 by cintanegara on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 9:39 pm

    PAS, a longstanding strong ally of DAP, has urged the Government to expel US Ambassador in Malaysia. (harakahdaily). Just wonder, what will you all say about this?

  22. #22 by Godfather on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 9:46 pm

    cintanegara:

    What PAS didn’t say is that we should all expel the UMNO thieves. What will you say about this ?

  23. #23 by undergrad2 on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 10:29 pm

    cintanegara Says:

    Today at 21: 39.57 (47 minutes ago)
    PAS, a longstanding strong ally of DAP, has urged ..”

    I don’t think PAS has been standing that long!

  24. #24 by undergrad2 on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 10:31 pm

    “PAS mendesak kerajaan Malaysia segera mengusir keluar Duta Amerika dari negara ini kerana negara tersebut bersekongkol dengan Israel menyerang Gaza…”

    It is completely logical.

  25. #25 by chengho on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 10:34 pm

    The key word is creativity not chasing A .
    Chasing A is easy you just have to memorise.

  26. #26 by collin1202 on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 10:50 pm

    Fresh from the oven, a student has achieved 11 As in SIN GCE ‘O’ level and that student actually hails from Malaysia. It is not question of not having talents in Malaysia, rather the ability to appreciate and nuture such talents. For that, SIN has that upper hand over their neighbours. I am from Singapore, by the way.

  27. #27 by OrangRojak on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 11:22 pm

    “nuture such talents”
    I need a spell checker. Do you want to neuter or nurture talent? I think Malaysian politicians will be divided half/half between the two!

  28. #28 by cintanegara on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 11:22 pm

    There is nothing to be proud of and it is unnecessary for you to reveal your nationality. My professional friends of the majority ethnic, earning handsome salaries and holding high positions in established companies in Malaysia. Majority of them graduated from the local Universities and their skills and knowledge are extremely tremendous.

  29. #29 by OrangRojak on Monday, 12 January 2009 - 11:29 pm

    cintanegara: Just wonder, what will you all say about this?
    Anwar says ‘Why do you deny people just talking about it?’

    I had nothing better to do before going to sleep, so here’s a transcript of the BBC Anwar video:

    Caption: BBC Radio 4’s Crossing Continents travelled to Malaysia to explore race relations…

    Caption: Anwar Ibrahim is leader of the political opposition in Malaysia

    BBC Man: I’ve been around the country, I’ve been meeting young people, bloggers, activists, from all the communities. They are putting their hope in you. But, … many of them are afraid. They don’t completely trust you, because of your past, because of your Islamic politics in the past, and because of your pro-Malay politics in the past.

    Anwar: … Well, eh, hehe, wh-what else do I say, I’ve been in prison for s …, in prison for six years, but eh … I, I must attempt to … engage with them and to eh probably … get them to appreciate the fact that my Islamic and Malay credentials help me articulate this views and … eh empathise with the position of eh the majority of the Malays. If I’m seen to be just this super-liberal, Western-educated Anwar, … yes it’s it’s eh soothing to the ears of many, many of my so-called liberal friends, but you’ll lose the heartland. So you need both eh now ss eh more so. You need to eh reassure the rural heartland eh strong ss credentials and also very Malay. And I, I don’t see that as a contradiction.

    BBC Man: You’re leading with a liberal, moderate, progressive view of Islam, if you like. It’s, or certainly, that’s-that’s certainly what-what you’re saying. But if you’re bringing people along, bringing ethnic Malays along into your alliance using religion, don’t you risk that … other understandings of Islam will be .. will be just beneath the surface, that th-there will be a clamour for a much more Islamic State in Malaysia, something that the non-Muslims, principally again the Indians and Chinese, are afraid of?

    Anwar: … Well, we should-must encourage the [seeds? seas? series?] of conversations. I don’t erm … suggest that … eh my brand, my understanding should be accepted. Erm we should allow for this sort of eh variations. Where do we draw the line? Don’t compel others to accept your view. That’s why I’m b-b-b people do ask me: ‘Anwar you say that you are quite eh tolerant. Why is it that you work with people who demand erm eh to set up an Islamic State?’ and I say ‘Why do you deny people just talking about it?’ But-but our position is clear:

    BBC Man: B-but I mean ‘why do you deny people just talking about it’ implies that you have ah some degree of tolerance to hear them talking about it

    Anwar: Yes

    BBC Man: to listen to them, to maybe Islamicise elements of the State

    Anwar: I don’t deny people talking about a Socialist State, or a Capitalist State, or a Secular State

    BBC Man: But if your, if your coalition is based on … part of, part of your constituency amongst the Malays coming through that, that lens, then you’re going to have to cede them some territory, aren’t you?

    Anwar: .. W-we spell out what we want! You want to eh practice Islam? Fair! But the principle of freedom of conscience cannot be compromised. You want to impose certain conditions eh eh or or you say censorship of [phonography? pornography?] – yes, you can debate. But the free-principle of freedom of expression must be-not be compromised. These are sacrosanct, in terms of constitutional guarantees. So we will have to then negotiate or have conversations, but based on these basic principles. I don’t think we should dictate.

    Caption: FIND OUT MORE bbc.co.uk/crossingcontinents

  30. #30 by OrangRojak on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 12:05 am

    I’m not completely sure what to make of that video. If anything, I think it’s obvious that Malaysian politicians could do with spending more time on live TV, either going head-to-head with opposition figures, or being interviewed by critical journalists. I’m gutted LKS’ last challenge was turned down, that would have been worth watching.

  31. #31 by katdog on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 12:16 am

    “My professional friends of the majority ethnic, earning handsome salaries and holding high positions in established companies in Malaysia. Majority of them graduated from the local Universities and their skills and knowledge are extremely tremendous.” – cintanegara

    Cintanegara, please do share with us the facts. UMNO says the Malays are not yet good enough and still need NEP. But are you suggesting here, that that is not true?

    Please do provide some data why you appear to disregard and shrug off Singapore’s successes? Do you believe Malaysia (specifically the majority race of Malaysia) has achieved successes that can be considered equal to what Singapore has achieved?

  32. #32 by waterfrontcoolie on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 12:17 am

    If the power that be, still thinks that they can get the police to have 2 sets of rules, they are going to regret it. They seem to forget that in spite of their control over the printed media, which many have decided to stop reading, their act is geeting across in the E-media. Man, don’t be that arrogant!! We are not ostrich like you, burying our heads in the sand and pretend nothiong happen around us!!

  33. #33 by waterfrontcoolie on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 12:37 am

    I think we have wasted much space and time on Cintanegara. He is a real Katak di bawah the coconut shell; bragging about his kind earning big money in a land with no competition! Ending up with performances right at the tail-end of all international rankings and competitions! and he is PROUD of it!
    Just wait when the Black Gold is no more the most important source of energy; we will see all the funs, world wide! With plenty of sunshine, we are not bothered to research in the solar energy, it just shows!! Of course, harnessing this energy requires plenty of hard work which is way beyond our ability! Yes, getting the damned Westerners to dig the crude is a lot easier!
    Cintanegara, just keep your philosophy for eternity, make sure all your future generations learned and follow it, we can even contribute to it! It will make this world so much less competitive!! Amen.

  34. #34 by kcb on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 12:38 am

    “There is nothing to be proud of and it is unnecessary for you to reveal your nationality. My professional friends of the majority ethnic, earning handsome salaries and holding high positions in established companies in Malaysia. Majority of them graduated from the local Universities and their skills and knowledge are extremely tremendous.” -cintanegara

    Ha ha ha, cintanegara, do you realise that you are doing exactly what colin1202 was doing?

    Yes, there is nothing to be proud of especially in Malaysia. Remember Madam Low Siew Moi?

  35. #35 by Vidang on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 12:57 am

    Great !

    The objective of STPM is to pass people?

    How do you explain the fact that 87% of the students passed the exams
    of the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) recently, when during your father’s time only 10% would have passed?

    Are students getting smarter? Or are STPM questions getting easier?

    Let me put things in their proper perspective.

    During your grandfather’s time, they would ask exam questions like:
    “In what year did Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka ?”
    The correct answer was “1402”, and they found that only 10% of the students managed to answer the question correctly. This didn’t go down too well with the authorities, because the objective of the exams was to pass people.

    I mean, what’s the point of having exams if people fail?

    So later, they found another way to ask the same question:
    “Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year:
    (a) 2001
    (b) 2004
    (c) 1986
    (d) 1975
    (e) 1402
    Tick the correct answer.”

    The results were better in that 20% of the students passed. But it was
    still not good enough, so the authorities tried a different tactic a few
    years later.
    “Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year 1402. True or false?”

    Well, half of the students guessed “True” and the other half guessed “False”.

    Fully 50% passed.

    The results were getting pretty acceptable by now but still not good enough.
    Most other countries would be satisfied with a 50% passing rate, but not us.
    We are a better country, because we are a boleh country. The authorities then cracked their heads and then came out with this one:

    Read the following sentence carefully.
    “Parameswara, the cousin of Proton-Iswara, founded the kingdom of Melaka
    in the year 1402. Underline the name of the person who founded Melaka.”
    60% underlined “Parameswara”, 30% underlined “Proton-Iswara” and 10%
    underlined “1402”.

    Yeah!!!!….60% managed to pass! So krever!

    But for some reason, the authorities were still not contented. So last year, they came out with this gem:

    “One day in the year 1402, Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka .
    Then he went home to have dinner. What did he eat?”

    13% (smart students) handed in blank answers, 57% wrote “Maggi Mee”,
    10% wrote ” Kentucky Fried Chicken” and 20% wrote “Nasi Lemak”.

    The correct answer was anything concerning “Food” of course!

    After the marking was over, it was found that 87% of the students had passed.
    87%!!!!!…………now that’s pretty impressive!

    So it’s true.

    So now the authorities are very happy that the students are indeed getting smarter?

    Well done Boleh-land!

    Perhaps, this is why we have a host of students with an impressive string of ‘As’ who can hardly construct a decent sentence!

    Need we say more to Boleh Land Policy

  36. #36 by monsterball on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 1:01 am

    hi…Cintanegera…you have lots to say about LKS…LSG and DAP.
    What about Minister of Housing….voted out by his own party..a nobody in politics now…yet still hold onto the ministerial post.
    Still talking like a minister….running away for few weeks…..and you know what is the reason….don’t you.
    A Cambridge educated man like you…should fire rockets and bullets at MCA….and worst of the lot…..UMNO double standards.
    Why so quiet on Ong Ka Chuan?
    Poor Chua Soi Lek….elected VP…shunt by UMNO and ignored by MCA President.
    Talk la…about MCA.

  37. #37 by kcb on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 1:07 am

    After visiting this Blog for a few months, it it quite evident that cintanegara simply cannot accept the fact that others (especially Singapore) are better than us.

    Just look at the following:

    “There is nothing to be proud of and it is unnecessary for you to reveal your nationality.”

    “My professional friends of the majority ethnic, earning handsome salaries and holding high positions in established companies in Malaysia. Majority of them graduated from the local Universities and their skills and knowledge are extremely tremendous.”

    So, for cintanegara, others should not be proud of their countries and achievements and only cintanegara can be pround of Malaysia.

    It is not necessary for others to reveal their nationality but it is necessary for cintanegara to highlight the following:

    – his “professional” friends of “Majority ethnic”, “earning handsome salaries”, “holding high positions”, in “established companies”, in “MALAYSIA”, graduated from “local universities” and to top it all, “their skills and knowledge are extremely tremendous”!!!

    By the way, cintanegara, do you have any facts to substantiate your claims?

    I don’t know much about singapore, but a fact I know is that several Ministers in Singapore are double 1st class degree holders from reputable universities. What about Malaysian Ministers?

  38. #38 by kcb on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 1:27 am

    proud of Malaysia.

  39. #39 by ascklee on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 1:56 am

    Even the rubbish collection standard has dropped. In some areas, the amount of uncollected rubbish is massive! See: http://www.tkf.sg/Rubbish/Klang.html for photos.

  40. #40 by passerby on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 2:17 am

    What is there to explain? He is fully aware of the deteriorating education standard and that is why all umno are sending their children to private schools and overseas.

  41. #41 by computation on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 2:38 am

    what a scumbag!
    he should be thoroughly ashamed of himself.
    mediocre person. inferior abilities.
    running a ministry to the ground.
    a disgrace to himself.

  42. #42 by computation on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 2:41 am

    malaysian “ministers” probably bought their degrees!
    low intellectual abilities.
    only good for taking cock.

  43. #43 by Loh on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 5:18 am

    Sorry, off-topic

    ///KUALA TERENGGANU: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak promised non-Malay communities that Umno would never support nor implement extreme policies.///–
    http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/1/12/nation/20090112220639&sec=nation

    Can Najib explain how NEP cannot be said to be extreme policy?

    Tun razak knew that it was an extreme policy, and he promised that it was for 20 years. But UMNO continues it, forever.

  44. #44 by cto on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 7:12 am

    cintanegara Says:

    Yesterday at 23: 22.58
    … My professional friends of the majority ethnic, earning handsome salaries and holding high positions in established companies in Malaysia. Majority of them graduated from the local Universities and their skills and knowledge are extremely tremendous.

    —————————-

    Well, if they are that good and that well trained, why do they need or want help from the Govt? And even if they want help, why should the Govt help them?

  45. #45 by vsp on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 7:17 am

    Instead of providing a good education for our children this idiot of an education minister is now trying to pollute young minds with hatred and mayhem.

    His idolisation of the mat rempits has made this group of rowdies into bullies of the highway. They vandalised other motorists and turned our roads into racing tracks.

    Now this minister is trying to destroy young minds by planting the creed of hatred and lawlessness into them. While university students, who are on the cusp of adulthood, are being prevented from expressing their concern about society; adults holding peaceful candle-light vigils are being roughened up; and peaceful jerit boys on bicycles are being sabotaged and threatened; these young schoolchildren are now being employed for UMNO’s narrow political agendas. What is Kerismuddin trying to do – cloning future Hamas-type suicide bombers? Please let schoolchildren be schoolchildren.

    That’s one of the reasons why this idiot is not fit to be our education minister.

  46. #46 by taiking on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 8:55 am

    Tuan McBully vs Hamba de Bully: Hamba de Bully will win anytime anywhere.

    Tuan McBully + NEP vs Hamba de Bully: of course Hamba de Bully will still win most of the time.

    Tuan McBully + NEP + UMNO government: still Hamba de Bully will win but with some hard work.

    Tuan McBully + NEP + UMNO government + Judiciary + Police + ISA + Corruption: Hamba de Bully still can win.

  47. #47 by k1980 on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 9:06 am

    A good way to win over the Chinese voters in KT is to have actors dressed up as Mat Ismail and Mukhriz Mamak tearing up photos of KTK, and demanding the closure of Chinese schools. Also dress up a clown as Badawi declaring that he is fair to all, as he applies layer upon layer of skin-whitening products on his face.

  48. #48 by taiking on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 9:16 am

    I think cintanegara has lost his sense of direction which I am afraid is typical of umnoputras. Perhaps in this country, insofar as they are concerned, direction is not important.

    When one moves from 1 to 2, there is a change in position or value as the case may be depending on what the numbers represent. If they represent position then it is universally accepted that small numbers means high positions and vice versa.

    I am only saying this (which is so obvious) because cintanegara seems lost. Perhaps he is not. I may be wrong. But the point is if one were to move from position 10 to 21 one is actually moving backwards not forward. And backward movements must be checked so that further slipping is prevented.

    I mean just take a look at our football standard. Maybe cintanegara was happy then when our footballers could take on S.Korea and could trash Japan and is still happy now even though the situation has reversed. Yeah our footballers today certainly are earning a lot more than those guys representing malaysia in merdeka cup.

    I have said this many times. And for cintanegara’s benefit let me repeat. We were ahead of S.Korea, Taiwan and Singapore economically 50 yrs ago. Now they are ahead of us. This is also a change in position. If not checked, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam too would catch up. Actually, Thailand and Indonesia universities have caught up with us.

    Maybe Cintanegara is still comfortable because he and his fellow Tuan McBully are earning fat NEP salaries. So long as this fact remains, well never mind even if we were to slip behind zimbabwe.

  49. #49 by PSM on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 9:31 am

    Time & time again those 2 Retards (& the stooges of the UMNO Government), come up with stupid comments (& most of the time they change the subject that’s being discussed).
    And most of us fall into the trap of replying to them. Don’t waste time with these two UMNO Racist puppets!

  50. #50 by PSM on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 9:32 am

    By the way…in case you are unsure who those 2 retards are…Cintanegara & Zak_Hammad!

  51. #51 by ktteokt on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 9:57 am

    Does the news from Singapore that its top student is in fact a Malaysian Chinese shock our Minister of Education? Doesn’t he want to know why such brains have left Malaysia in search of greener pasture? The main reason is that countries outside Malaysia are “colour blind” and unlike the Malaysian way of classification of its people into Bumis and Non bumis!

    If Malaysia continued with such classification of its people, the brain drain from Malaysia is going to continue and much of our brainy people will end up serving other countries rather than their own motherland!

    After implementing the NEP for nearly four decades, ask our government how much improvement has the bumis achieved despite having suppressed the non-bumis to allow them to come up? The NEP is a total failure and the government knows very well but simply refuse to admit its mistakes! Continuing the NEP will just bring Malaysia to the pits and put an end to this wonderful country of ours where we get what we dig for, we get what we plant but where we do not get what we deserve!

  52. #52 by ktteokt on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 10:29 am

    And did parents of school children realize that they are trying to “poison” the minds of our children by concealing the truth? Take a look at the back of the school exercise books and you will realize that the RUKUNEGARA printed at the back of these exercise books only contain the five principles and they have totally omitted or censored the preamble which contained words like “MEMBINA MASYARAKAT YANG ADIL”. It is for fear that some of our smart school children may one day turn back and ask our government what they meant by these words when they insist on maintaining KETUANAN MELAYU!

    I am sure some of our children may be smart enough to understand what is happening around them and also comprehend the words “MEMBINA MASYARAKAT YANG ADIL” and they know very well that these two are at the far ends of the spectrum on either end respectively. They would also know that it is impossible for these two to meet and more impossible to achieve these objectives simultaneously! So in order not be questioned by these younger generations, the censor was absolutely necessary. Malaysia is not the only country doing this, Japan has attempted to change its HISTORY in an attempt to deceive its younger generations!

  53. #53 by k1980 on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 11:22 am

    Speaking of KETUANAN MELAYU, why has no umno warlord been bringing up this lately? But never fear, it will be back louder than ever after the Jan 17 KT by-election. However an umno defeat there will make sure the racists will think twice before playing this game again

  54. #54 by rockdaboat on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 4:26 pm

    k1980, it does not matter what they claim for this is akin to a person who can only run 100 meters (70 meters actually with 30 meters given in default) in 30 seconds but wants to claim to be a world champion.

  55. #55 by undergrad2 on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 6:50 pm

    “Tun razak knew that it was an extreme policy, and he promised that it was for 20 years.” Loh

    I supposed Tun Razak told you that.

  56. #56 by taiking on Wednesday, 14 January 2009 - 9:09 am

    Reason for drop in standard: Top brains all in singapore.
    30 years ago as a young chiku in singapore already then there are lots of smart malaysian students studying under the ASEAN scholarship.
    Today we are still exporting them to singapore.
    Further, there are lots of malaysian teachers in singapore schools.
    In fact one can easily find a few such teachers in every singapore school.
    Of course Tuan McBully will say “we dont need them”.
    Didnt cintanegara say something like we are good enough with lots of his fellow McBullys earning high NEP salaries etc etc.
    With mentality like that can we expect kerismudin to be bothered by the result.

  57. #57 by riversandlakes on Thursday, 15 January 2009 - 1:48 am

    The man is just riding on his father’s name of Hussein. Dynasties do not a proper government make. Take Bush for the perfect example…

  58. #58 by ktteokt on Thursday, 15 January 2009 - 7:29 pm

    riversandlakes, this is the trend and norm in Malaysia! Sons of ex-PMs following their father’s footsteps – Najib, s/o Tun Abd Razak, Hishamuddin, s/o Hussein Onn, and now Mukhriz, s/o Mahathir. Where is the son of AAB? No son? Son-in-law pun bolehlah! They are trying to create a dynasty of PM’s children in Malaysia to lead Malaysia the way their forefathers did! But just like the dynasties of China, they will one day fall!

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