By Lim Mun Fah | The Malaysian Insider

I was away from the country when the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP) was unveiled. On my return, I took some time to study the document.

At the first look, the 10MP seems like an excellently packaged master plan with an ambitious magnificent vision for the nation.

An in-depth study of the documents, however, uncovered some fundamental flaws, the most glaring, perhaps, is the conspicuous retention and reiteration of certain racially exclusive policies and programmes.

Another unfortunate weakness is surely the lack of a determined and expeditious practical attempt to liberalise and promote a more open education environment, particularly for Chinese education.

The proposed move to gradually end the overseas scholarship scheme is a regrettable myopic policy, lacking foresight and pragmatic insight.

The failure to accept and accord formal recognition to the Chinese school system’s Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) is certainly unfortunate and regrettable. And, graduates of Chinese independent high schools who wish to join the Chinese teachers training will only be considered if they hold the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).

It has been reported that Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had promised to “consider” allowing UEC holders to apply for the Chinese teachers training programme if they have a pass in the SPM Bahasa Malaysia paper.

As a father of three UEC holders, I am extremely disappointed with the government’s lack of firm commitment on the matter. It could only pledge to “consider”, not give an absolute validity, meaning that any application for the Chinese teacher training scheme is dependent on the whim, bias or prejudice of whoever process it.

The federal government has publicly declared that having a multiple-lingual society is an asset in the increasingly competitive and borderless world, but it has not matched such an acknowledgement with affirmative concrete measures.

For decades, Chinese independent school-leavers have been marginalised and left on the periphery of the nation-building process, the conspicuous lack of Chinese in the civil service being a very glaring example.

However, the majority of these Chinese independent school leavers have been unfazed by the adverse situation and are able to overcome the unfavourable circumstance that hinders their progress and advancement, becoming shining examples of skilful, productive citizens in their various professional fields. All on their own efforts, too.

The UEC is recognised and accepted as an admission qualification by the top universities in China, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, and many leading universities of the world, including those ranked among the top 100 and even top 10 in Europe, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.

Yet, the sad irony is that our own motherland, Malaysia, does not grant recognition to the UEC whose standard is comparable to or even better than most high school qualifications in most of the top schools in the world.

The Chinese community is deeply disappointed and disheartened with such an unreasonable and unjust national education policy, which alienates those who study at the Chinese independent schools.

Hundreds of thousands of Chinese independent school-leavers are asking the same lamentable sorrowful question: “I love my motherland, but does my motherland love me?”

It is certainly unpleasant for the federal government to hear this, but as long as the status of Chinese independent schools and the UEC are not accepted and recognised, as long as matters like the development, teachers and relocation of Chinese schools are not resolved, the issue of Chinese education will forever be the grindstone hanging from the neck of the Barisan Nasional (BN).

If the 10MP is an opportunity for Malaysia to take its first step towards the reform and regeneration of the nation, then all discriminatory and unjust policies must be removed, with the disambiguation of the government agenda undertaken to define and make clear the meaning, purpose and actions of the government.

The fundamental objective must be the elimination of racial exclusivity from the administration and operation of the governing process, with the recognition, acceptance, and promotion of the pluralistic lifestyle and the democratic ideals in our multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-cultural and multi-lingual nation being made the norm.

Let us think and strive with a broad, open heart to make Malaysia a great nation where everyone, irrespective of colour, creed, culture or class, will find a comfortable personal niche and enjoy to the fullest the resources and benefits of the motherland.

Malaysia Boleh? — mysinchew.com