Mukriz cannot quote Razak as authority and protection as he had violated Razak’s “sensitive” issues


The Umno Youth chief candidate Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir now claims that he is only emulating the second Prime Minister, Tun Razak when he proposed the scrapping of the current dual-stream system of national and vernacular schools to be replaced with a single school system as the only way to check racial polarization.

However, Mukriz should should realize that it was Razak who amended the Malaysian Constitution in 1971 to make it an offence of sedition to propose the closure of Chinese and Tamil primary schools.

Umno Youth leader and Education Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has stepped forward to rescue Mukriz by claiming that Mukriz’ call, which must imply the closure of Chinese and Tamil primary schools as they exist at present, is not seditious.

Such a statement coming from Hishammudin is understandable but the Education Minister should realise that he cannot usurp the functions and powers of the Attorney-General and the judiciary by overturning clear legal precedents that any call for the closure of Chinese and Tamil primary schools runs afoul of the four “sensitive issues” protected by the 1971 Constitution Amendment by making it an offence of sedition to question them, to the extent of even removing parliamentary immunity on these four “sensitive” issues.

I am not advocating that Mukriz be charged under the Sedition Act which could involve his disqualification as MP for Jerlun and the disenfranchisement of his civil rights to hold office in any political party or society for five years if he is convicted and fined RM2,000 or jailed for more than a year, but Mukriz should realize that he has committed the offence of sedition as he has violated the constitutional prohibition against any questioning of the four sensitive issues which was initiated by Tun Razak when he became the second Prime Minister in 1971.

Malaysians are however outraged by police double-standards when MCA Deputy President Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek could immediately be summoned by the police for investigation into his remarks on ketuanan Melayu which have the most remote connection with the offence of sedition while police have been completely indifferent in the Mukriz case.

Mukriz should not try to defend the indefensible claiming that he had not called for the Chinese and Tamil primary schools to be closed down, as he knows better than anybody else that the Chinese and Tamil primary schools as they exist at present would have to be closed down if his proposal is to be implemented.

Mukriz should apologise for his error as well as admit that he could not quote Razak as authority and protection, as Mukriz had violated the 1971 Constitutional Amendment which was spearheaded by none other than Razak himself.

  1. #1 by Tonberry on Friday, 5 December 2008 - 11:20 am

    Mukriz should apologise for his error as well as admit …

    I have not heard any Umnoputra apologise in good faith before in my lifetime. So Mukriz is no exceptional too. This is the ego of Ketuanan Melayu, which will eventually bring them down to earth one day in this globalised world.

  2. #2 by cintanegara on Friday, 5 December 2008 - 11:27 am

    We are hurt and demand others to appologize when they touched/question about our interests, Likewise, other might hurt too when we touch something related to ther interests. Have we ever realized about this?

  3. #3 by hvpl on Friday, 5 December 2008 - 11:38 am

    As commented elsewhere, bring the National-Type schools up to the standard of our Chinese schools, THEN and only then, close down all the vernacular schools. I would not have any argument with Mukhriz, then.

    As suggested elsewhere, as well, ALL Malaysian school-going children MUST undergo the Malaysian school system till Form Five. No exceptions, which include the children of our elites. This is for them to show and agree that the standards are where they should be, by allowing THEIR children to undergo the same system.

    Mukhriz and his like should simply keep his mouth shut until they are willing bring back his children from overseas schools and implant them in SRK Ulu Sabah or SMK Ulu Kedah.

  4. #4 by w2008 on Friday, 5 December 2008 - 11:39 am

    Are we trying to send Malaysia to dead end doom?

    If our education based on Malay, this country definitely heading to doom and lose in the world.

    How many books a year publish in Malay? believe is below 60.

    Please do not be a fool lead the next generation to doom education base in Malay.

    Malaysia unit is based on all races equality.

    Chinese and Tamil primary schools is somethings Malaysia proud of that ALL Malaysians can speak at least 2 languages.

    Are they planning to send the Malaysia to doom?

  5. #5 by Mr Smith on Friday, 5 December 2008 - 11:43 am

    First Mukhriz denied having said that he wanted vernacular school abolished. Now he admits saying those seditious words as Razak had said the same thing in 1956.

    Liar!!
    Why shouldn’t action be taken against Mukhriz? He has committed an offence and he has to pay for it as did so many Opposition leaders like Lim Guan Eng, Irene Fernandez over petty issues.

  6. #6 by w2008 on Friday, 5 December 2008 - 11:43 am

    Malaysia unity is based on all races equality.

    Malaysian Malaysia is based on equality.

    Chinese and Tamil primary schools is somethings Malaysia proud of that proven our society is multi-races culture.

  7. #7 by Tonberry on Friday, 5 December 2008 - 11:47 am

    cintanegara Says:
    Likewise, other might hurt too when we touch something related to ther interests.

    If “other” did not infringe on the rights of the others, nobody will question the actions of “other”. It seems something has gone out of control(like the barbaric keris-waving, a sakai calling others pendatang), only the others will respond in such a manner.

    sama-sama lah kita renungkan

  8. #8 by wanderer on Friday, 5 December 2008 - 12:13 pm

    Mukriz, be a man and stand by what you said. It is a pity, we don’t see too many principled UMNO politicians. Is this man a typical kaunan Melayu? oops! he is the little mamak!

  9. #9 by wanderer on Friday, 5 December 2008 - 12:15 pm

    sorry spelt wrongly, it is ‘kataunan’

  10. #10 by frankyapp on Friday, 5 December 2008 - 12:20 pm

    Liked I said before,” birds of the same feathers flocked together ” Now Hishammudin is defending Mukhriz but not MCA Dr.chua. Why,his skin color is defference.Our mata mata investigation is also based on the same formula.Mukhriz dared to talk big cos he is TDM’s son. HIs agenda is to win the UMNO youth chief post so he has to act and talk about malay supremacy at any cost. I think the adversed effect will hurt him. More than 50,000 malay students are now in the various chinese school in the country. Those parents ,most likely will not support him,and the chinese and indian voters will spit at his poster in the election campaign.Mukhriz should realised how his father’s ego has hurt the vast majority of all malaysian. As seen now through TDM had been PM for 20 over years,he’s not well respected.Should Mukhriz follows his father’s footsteps, he will not be able to stay long in politic.I can assure you guys. Just and see.

  11. #11 by cintanegara on Friday, 5 December 2008 - 12:23 pm

    Dato JJ is right to say that LKS doesnt dare to talk about nepotism after his beloved son has successfully become the CM. Otherwise, he would claim that Mukriz is elected based on nepotism.

  12. #12 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Friday, 5 December 2008 - 2:58 pm

    Mukhriz, wake up!

    This is the 21st Century. Human rights, civil rights, Obama….even Tun Mahathir has come about in a broader, enlightened world.

    Hello, Mukriz, this is 2008, going on 2009! Wake-up. You are 52 years too late, friend. Razak Report was designed for the 1950’s. Where were you educated, my friend?

  13. #13 by Loh on Friday, 5 December 2008 - 5:01 pm

    Now Murkriz claims that he emulated Razak. After march 2009, he would say he is his father’s son.

  14. #14 by GilaPolitic on Friday, 5 December 2008 - 5:38 pm

    When Tun Dr M resigned from UMNO for his great principles and openly voiced out the government is corrupt in HardTalk Interview. His son, Murkiz defied his father footstep to quit UMNO but he demanded Pak Lah to step down with same tune like his dad. Unfortunate, he is less a man like his dad who dares to tell off and voice out against the corrupted money politics in UMNO coming election. Then, Tun Dr M was branded “Thorn in UMNO Flesh” by his cronies in UMNO – Padan Muka ! Harap Pagar, Pagar Makan Padi.

    Aiyah….now Murkiz is using the late Tun Razak name to garner more UMNO votes after his stupid remarks on closure of Chinese and Indian schools. Malaysians wonder why this little mamak is embrassing Pak Lah to get him fire before Mar 08 but yet he is not sack instead innocent Zaid Ibrahim were sacked from UMNO for attending Oppositions’ gatherings.

    If the little mamak wins the election, another “Greatest Thorn in UMNO Flesh” coming soon for Malaysians to suffer the pain for few decades. What a Bad LUCK ?

  15. #15 by One4All4One on Friday, 5 December 2008 - 10:02 pm

    The late Tun Razak is an honourable man who commanded much respect among ALL Malaysians. He was a man with integrity, accountability and magnanimity.

    He was a man of few words, but when he spoke most would pay attention and appreciate his articulation.

    What can we say of most UMNO leaders nowadays? Flip flopping. Nonsensical. Derogatory. Dishonourable. Suspicious. Prejudicial. Non-accountable. “Ketuanan” bias. Corrupted. Racist. Manipulative.
    Subsidy mentality and subsidised. Quotas. Special privileges. Contract hungry. Title hungry. And whatever you care to conceive.

    We should do much better than Tun Razak’s time. He would not have wanted us to live in the past, in his time. If we did, it would have meant we had not progressed at all, and Tun would have felt betrayed and disappointed.

    Mukriz and his kind had the benefit of an overseas’ education. He should know better what a diverse and open education system could do to the development of the mind and soul of individuals. He could and should not advocate a close and parochial approach. He should not deny others what he and his kind could access and enjoy due to his their fortuity.

    Exposing students to more languages than one such as in vernacular schools would enable them to acquire and master languages which would benefit not only themselves, but also the nation. The nation would then be enriched with a pool of resourceful individuals who are proficient not only in Bahasa Malaysia but also English, Mandarin, Tamil, etc.

    In this globalised world we need more of such versatile, multilingual, multicultural, and multi talented people.

    Could the national primary schools which have suffered the interest, trust and hope of so many people be the choice, especially of citizens who are aspiring for more progress and advancement for their children?

    Could the national primary schools cater to the demands and needs of ALL Malaysians in terms of second or third language learning?

    Could the national primary schools assure that policies adopted are fair to all, without prejudice or favour?

    Could the national primary schools assure that teachers and headmasters regardless of ethnic and religious backgrounds be selected on the basis of merit and aptitude and not on the whim and fancy of interest groups?

    Could the education ministry ensure that educational matters be separated from politics and not interfered by third parties who know next to nothing in education?

    There are just too many vexing questions than answers which do not make national primary schools the schools of choice.

    Unless and until all pertinent issues are addressed there should not be any call to have a single eduction policy which could not meet the desires and aspirations of all segments of society. It would be suicidal and unfair to force what is not acceptable and agreeable on everyone.

    In the face of limited options, as far as ordinary folks are concerned, the avenue of a vernacular education which is deemed desirable for their children must not be robbed away from them.

  16. #16 by AhPek on Friday, 5 December 2008 - 10:35 pm

    “The late Tun Razak is an honourable man who commanded much respect among ALL MALAYSIANS.He was a man with integrity,accountability and magnanimity.” One4All4One.

    You sure or not!

  17. #17 by Tonberry on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 4:22 am

    One4All4One Says:
    The late Tun Razak is an honourable man who commanded much respect among ALL MALAYSIANS.He was a man with integrity,accountability and magnanimity.

    If i were you, i would not say that without checking his background. AFAIK, he is the Father of May 13 and Father of NEP.
    Read Here

  18. #18 by rubenz on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 4:26 am

    I suggest that the national main stream education system should include a compulsory pupil’s own language subject, just like Singapore, but the existing fully or partially govt-funded vernacular schools should not be closed down forcefully.

    With this, more parents would realize that since their kids could learn their mother tongue in national schools, so vernacular schools would eventually lose their niche and become extinct on their own.

  19. #19 by kcb on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 6:45 am

    “The late Tun Razak is an honourable man who commanded much respect among ALL MALAYSIANS.He was a man with integrity,accountability and magnanimity.”

    I totally disgree with the above statement!!!

  20. #20 by kcb on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 6:46 am

    “disagree”

  21. #21 by chiakchua on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 7:45 am

    This is the problem: UMNOputras practice IRS (not ‘Inland Revenue Services’) strategy:
    I – Infringe your right by saying something that hurts the non-Malays
    R – BN bosses will try to Resolve issue when the non-Malays protest
    S – Self-praise after someone higher up in the BN come out and clarify
    issue to put a stop to it; they say everything can be settled with
    BN spirit. So they ask you to vote BN-lah!

  22. #22 by chiakchua on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 7:54 am

    Cintanegara, KIT never respond to JJ’s accuse of nepotism is correct. The session was on unity. And whether KIT is practicing nepotism is best to leave it to others to judge; not for him to defend himself. That’s the difference between a wise man and arrogance!

  23. #23 by Bigjoe on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 9:50 am

    I think they want to hide the fact the Mahathir boy is an idiot in reality. He has cultivated an image as carefull, methodical but not total conformist. The worst thing for the boy and UMNO is to be exposed to be nothing more than a mediocre product of NEP and Mahathirism…

  24. #24 by taiking on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 11:00 am

    When Tun Razak was PM, the emergence of china was at its infancy. The WWW only existed as a concept (probably). At that time korea and taiwan were not even little tigers yet. Our football team then could show the japanese so-call footballers the correct way to play the game. And a Singapore dollar could be had for one malaysian dollar. Of course MU grads then were great and much sought after by employers.

    Now umnoputras found it expedient to move backwards and thought it proper to re-cycle outdated ideas.

    That they are doing is proof that they are afraid of both the present and the future. For there is clearly no place for them and their ways / idealogy now and beyond. Decades of NEP and bias racial policies had crippled them so much that they are not only disabled physically but are also incapable, mentally.

    Of course, I am only refering to the umnoputras. Because, fortunately, there are a lot of non-umnoputras bumiputras who are yearning to break free of the system so that they too could discover new grounds and opportunities through their own merits and ability. Umno would reject them no doubt just as it did, to Zaid recently.

    And finally, who said Tun Razak was honourable and commanded the respect of all malaysians?

  25. #25 by AhPek on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 11:21 am

    For those who think that Razak is honourable and commanded the respect of all malaysians,please fill up the missing gap in the story of malaysia by researching into archives of malaysia-today.net to find out what Tunku said of him and read up ‘The Singapore Story’ (2 volumes) by Lee Kuan Yew.You are sure to have an intimate knowledge of what this man did to malaysia.

    Don’t be startled at what his son had done for he is exactly a chip of the old block much the same as Mukhriz is the chip of the old block.Nothing surprising
    really!!

  26. #26 by AhPek on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 11:25 am

    And just in case for those people who don’t know Razak regards non Malays as trouble for when Lee Kuan Yew asked him ‘Are you not worried about the brain drain in your country’, he shot back’What brain drain,it’s trouble drain!’.

  27. #27 by AhPek on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 11:28 am

    correction: “And just ………………as trouble, there is this occasion when Lee Kuan Yew asked him ………………………………………..,it’s trouble drain!’.

  28. #28 by zak_hammaad on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 1:47 pm

    Why does DAP like to sling mud at anything and anyone that moves? Far from being objective and keeping things in context, perhaps it is a DAP’s frustration at the slow ‘progess’ Pakatan is making as the opposition.

    Mukhriz’s call for vernacular schools to be integrated into the national school system is NOT racist. As you know, government-aided schools had Malaysian students of all races and therefore it is foolish for the opposition to try and confuse people by linking it to racism or sedition.

    He said there was nothing extraordinary in Mukhriz’s statement, as calls for a single education system had been made since independence.

    Ideally, he said the government would like to see a single education system but numerous factors had to be considered before that could became a reality.

    “Integrating” vernacular schools into the national school system is NOT the same as calling for their “closure” – Please keep things in perspective to the subject matter. You cannot demand a ‘bangsa malaysia’ in one and ask for equality and integration on one hand and then speak against people who are trying to work for social and national unity.

    I found this link quite refreshing: blog.thestar.com.my/permalink.asp?id=19797

    Let’s keep things in perspective please!

  29. #29 by imranj78 on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 6:33 pm

    We can continue to debate here but at the end of the day, to truly establish Bangsa Malaysia, there has to be a SINGLE education system for all which is based on our official language as a binding medium of communication. The right to learn mother tongue language must continue to be safeguarded in this single education system.

    In my view, questioning the existence of vernacular schools is not seditious as it questions the need for parallel education systems in this country and is NOT questioning the right of our students to learn mother tongue language. As a matter of fact, I believe Mukhriz clearly stated in the same statement that mother tongue language should continue to be taught in a SINGLE EDUCATION system for all.

    By going against a single education system concept, DAP and LKS have gone back on their promise/mission to create a true Bangsa Malaysia.

  30. #30 by Loh on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 7:21 pm

    ///In my view, questioning the existence of vernacular schools is not seditious as it questions the need for parallel education systems in this country and is NOT questioning the right of our students to learn mother tongue language./// — Imranj78

    The education system including the maintenance of vernacular school is part of the agreement among the leaders before they agreed to join hands to seek independence from the British. The fact that there are 60,000 Malays and Indians in Chinese schools show that they like the schools to continue too.

    There is a significant difference in the use of the mother tongue as a medium of instruction for all subjects and the teaching of the language only for the mother tongue, when the medium of instruction for other subjects is different. That is also the reason why Chinese schools do not welcome the teaching of mathematics and science in English at the primary level. From the racist statements increasingly voiced by TDM, and now his son taking a racist stand on education, one does wonder whether it was TDM’s intention to weaken the teaching of Chinese in Chinese primary schools.

    The government has no ground to complain about the standards of Chinese students in Malays, and the politicians pretend to care about national unity and choose to attribute polarization of races in the country to the separation of school premises. They certainly know that polarization is because of the racist discriminatory policies that cannot fool all the people all the time. UMNO knows very well that placing students under the same roof would not stop polarization if the unfair policies in the name of NEP continue. But that is a rich source for political gains, in party election.

  31. #31 by One4All4One on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 8:03 pm

    Friends,

    Frankly, I do not have a great deal of knowledge about the overall role and part that the late Hon.Tun Abdul Razak Hussein played in Malaya’s and Malaysia’s history.

    I shall make an attempt to read more on that to enlighten myself, and hopefully to share pertinent information with you as and when the need arises. Of course, there must be amongst you out there who are well-informed on the subject matter; hopefully you could share relevant info to educate us who are ignorant. TQ!

    Having said that, I would like to humbly beg to differ with blanket opinions which may cloud and prejudice actions and decisions made with good intentions then on issues which happened in the years before Merdeka was attained and declared.

    Certainly I would neither attempt to discredit our second prime minister nor disparage just anyone, per se, personally. What have we ourselves done or contributed to the nation to condemn anyone who had done so much in the progress and development of the country?

    Tun Razak had undeniably contributed immensely to the administration and development of the country. For that alone he should be held in high esteem and honour and respect.

    We should not view the ISA and NEP as totally deficient and negatively in their entire history. They served their purposes during those times and now could have outlived their raison d’etre.
    Furthermore, we have the benefit of hindsight on which we base our judgement and opinions.

    Of course, new realities and changing times surely call for the ISA and NEP to be reviewed or perhaps repealed, and replaced with more forthcoming and reasonable ones. Those are for debates and discussions. I do not have problems with that.

  32. #32 by w2008 on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 9:05 pm

    You can see how selfish they are trying come out a SINGLE SYSTEM based on Malay which is a lanuage no usage outside south east asia and yearly no more than 50 books publish in Malay.

    You can see they only care are their interest, they do not care about Malaysian and the country Malaysia. Their interest come first and the Malaysia can go to hell.

    Don’t you see?

  33. #33 by batuputeh on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 9:41 pm

    w2008,

    what is wrong with you? are your against SINGLE SYSTEM EDUCATION or simply against it because if it happen it’ll be in our NATIONAL LANGUAGE?

    And what exact interest is that? Pls explain further… i cannot wait to hear more.

  34. #34 by w2008 on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 9:48 pm

    I am totally against SINGLE SYSTEM based in Malay, which a language is no usage outside south east asia, and there is no more than 50 books publish yearly in Malay.

    Don’t tell me if a SINGLE SYSTEM based in Malay, the student can manage to learn a second good language.

    It will be the same like those Malaysian University writing Gibberish English.

  35. #35 by Loh on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 10:11 pm

    ///We should not view the ISA and NEP as totally deficient and negatively in their entire history.///

    ISA was meant to stop communism, but is now being used to stop politicians playing their rightful role.

    NEP served in justifying that no further enquiry on the causes of May 13 was needed. So the gang that seized power could enjoy their success without question. Article 153 did the job of leveling playing fields for all races, and should have been removed in 1972 if not for May 13. NEP was utilized to remove the review provision of that article rather that the very article itself. It removed the raison d’etre for the inclusion of that Article in the constitution, and now frees UMNO politicians to advance their own views on the so-called social contract.

    NEP is the reason for the following phenomena:

    1. The ranking of our universities falls through their bottoms.

    2. An increase of Malays in government services from below 70% in 1970s to over 90 % now.

    3. Malays lecturers in universities accounted for 93%, when 33% of them are at most second best. These should have been non-Malays if the recruitment was not race-based.

    4. There are 60,000 unemployable graduates, and increasing.

    5. A billion ringgit a year could have been obtainable from APs. But these public funds forgone were private funds for TDM’s cronies till he retired, and Rafidah’s cronies after that. They decided who should get the easy money, and not more than 1,000 benefited while 5 million vehicles owners slaved to pay their monthly installments on their vehicle loans.

    6. NEWMalays in Sabah outnumbered local Sabahans. This was done as a means to ensure UMNO remain in power, and NEP remains forever.

    7. One to two million potentially tax-paying Malaysians have became citizens of other countries.

    8. NEP gives the justification for negotiated contracts over public tenders for government projects. Government funds are worth less than one quarter, paying four times more for projects to cronies who monopolize all government projects. The monies are now playing their roles in UMNO elections.

    9. When NEP appears to benefit 60% of the population, even though on balance it was not a free lunch for the people classified as beneficiaries. But most of those beneficiaries do not believe that they were worse off because of the loss in earning power caused by corrupt practices of the government. Thus despite its malfeasances BN government is returned to power all the time.

    10. UMNO has created NEP its trump card to win elections. It will not give it up. For that race-based politics will stay. That is the greatest harm NEP has done to the nation.

    Please contribute to this list.

  36. #36 by imranj78 on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 10:12 pm

    w2008,
    I believe that Malay should be the medium of instruction for ALL schools in Malaysia not for any other reason then because it is our NATIONAL LANGUAGE. We need a common language and our forefathers have decided that the Malay language was it.

    Remember that this does not mean we should not learn other languages. We should and must continue to try to master other languages. But as Malaysians we must have a language that binds us together and the Malay language is IT.

  37. #37 by chengho on Saturday, 6 December 2008 - 11:23 pm

    What had happened to Sekolah Wawasan? i can agreed with that.

  38. #38 by w2008 on Sunday, 7 December 2008 - 8:43 am

    As a research show, they cant be trusted.

    Their interest come first, otheres and the country can go to hell.

    They do not care much.

  39. #39 by AhPek on Sunday, 7 December 2008 - 2:13 pm

    One4All4One,
    History is always determined by the ones in power and quite often the story they want people to hear is the story that glorifies them.This is especially true of governments with overwhelming ruling majority or dictatorial governmentsTheir story therefore cannot be the truth and the whole truth.To get to the truth one has to seek as many reliable story tellers whose story is not approved by the powers-that-be,and then you decide on what is the truth.In the case of the Malaysian story go and read Lee’s “The Singapore story” to get a glimpse of UMNO personalities then.Search the archives of malaysia-today.net.Fish out Malayan history during your school days (I presume you are over 50) and try and read today’s history text books on malaysian history,find out the difference.There may be other story tellers that I may not know of.Perhaps if you know someone in the South East Asian Institute in NUS campus, you could get him or her to recommend some other reading materials on malaysian history.

  40. #40 by Loh on Sunday, 7 December 2008 - 5:50 pm

    I said earlier in this thread that NEP is not a free lunch for Malays. Batsman explains it very well in his writing, at http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/15673/84/ and I quote below:

    ///QUOTE

    In Malaysia, UMNO was originally of the Malay high classes (it is debatable whether it is high class now). To win the Malays over, after Malays voters showed that high class arrogance, self-interest and corruption was not compatible with low class aspirations in the General Election of 1969, it was necessary to come up with the NEP. Malays were offered all sorts of goodies, but this was not the main instrument of control. The main strength of UMNO is to place its die hard supporters in every influential nook and cranny and in every position of power.

    Unfortunately, it did not have enough qualified people to fill all these positions. The net result was that mediocre and often stupidly boorish UMNO supporters were forcibly placed in high positions in education, judiciary, police and other civil service branches as well as GLCs. These people owe their positions to political power, not to skill or ability. They became outright racists and in time came to protect their positions against all comers including better trained and more capable Malays themselves.

    The mediocrity of these “people in high places” has cost the country dear with rampant corruption, incredible wastage and loss of skilled manpower emigrating to other countries. Malays too, if they are intelligent, skilled and capable became the victims of the NEP. The suppression of capable Malays was even more severe than against the Chinese and Indians (how many Malays are in ISA detention against the number of Chinese and Indians?), especially if these Malays showed even a modicum of social conscience in protesting that the NEP has not benefited the Malay community in many different ways and especially in taking away their ability to compete and also in the NEP’s tendency to discriminate against the poor and marginalized Malays – the very people it was supposed to help.

    UNQUOTE ///

    Well said, Batsman.

  41. #41 by One4All4One on Monday, 8 December 2008 - 9:05 am

    Come on guys,

    The NEP is not the only instrument the government employ in its economic agenda, certainly there is much more than that.

    Any policy, just any policy, which may have good and well-intended intrinsic principles and objectives, if not enforced and implemented in accordance to proper and just procedures and methodology might result in undesirable, negative and conflicting end results. So much so that any positive achievements and intended objectives that came out of it were obscured and clouded.

    Some policies could have outlived their original objectives. Some could have been extended beyond their time frame and scope. Some could have been manipulated because they were seen to be convenient and effective tools in perpetuating and perpetrating the interest and position of certain influential segments of the administration, individuals or political parties.

    Of course, under such scenarios there would be gainers and losers, depending on which side you are in. The gainers would naturally (though unjustifiably and above board) defend the policies while the losers would cry foul and view them as corrupted, greedy and opportunistic or just plain irresponsible.

    That’s the reason why there is a need for fair, responsible and clear minded people to look into the matter to rectify whatever weaknesses, anomalies or improprieties.

    That’s the reason why there is a need for accountability, integrity, impartiality, justice, jurisprudence, and a system of check and balance to be installed to ensure a fair, equitable, and a politically, socially and economically correct administration and government.

    That’s what we are all crying for.

  42. #42 by messi on Tuesday, 9 December 2008 - 5:52 pm

    Well, closure of Chinese and Tamil school can improve the relation among the races.
    ————————————–

    Is there anyone foresee the problem by having the 3 in 1 concept of ‘wawasan” school?

    (i) Who is the head of the wawasan school? I’m sure the G will elect “Malay” Headmaster to run the school and how he manages to implement a fair policy for all races under one roof?
    One of the good examples is BN which consists of Umno, MCA, MIC. What had happened to this party and the ignorant Umno leader taking about the NEP and Ketuanan Melayu. I am sure the WAWASAN School will follow the BN way.

    (ii) Space – Is there any big space need to be allocated for this type of school? Can you find any space for this type of school within every garden/area? Or do you think outskirt area can cause inconvenient to all the parent?

    (iii) Location – Let say within 15km for a township is Chinese population (example; KL OUG, Happy Garden, United Garden) and how are you able to attract the Malay and Indian student from staying 15km away? Can u ask those Malay /Indian parent send their kids to school to and from 30KM away from their home? This apply to Malay population area like Bangi area, Are you asking those Chinese parent sent their kids from OUG to Bangi just because of WAWASAN school?

    I think those giving this proposal is having the pig “brain” and have other motive.
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    Very good example to analyze this proposal whether can work or not:

    One father (like Malaysia) with 5 kids staying in a house and he treated those kids unfairly during the grow up stage due to NEP system. Can you imagine what is going to happen after the kids has grown up? They will dislike his father and giving a chance those unfortunate kids will take revenge against his father. This apply to all races.

    So, how logical the closure of these schools can improve the relation among the races????

    What a Stupid idea from a Minister or EX Mamak PM!!

    Abolish the “NEP” will automatically enhance the race relation and not on closure of Chinese/Tamil school.

  43. #43 by ktteokt on Friday, 12 December 2008 - 9:54 am

    Letting the blind lead the blind, deaf, dumb and lame is the culture and practice in Malaysia!

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