Archive for category Education
Sanusi sacked as UIA President – Abdullah not ready for “1st-world infrastructure, 1st-world mentality”
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Education, UMNO on Wednesday, 11 June 2008
The sacking of Sanusi Junid, who was formerly Cabinet Minister, Kedah Mentri Besar and Umno secretary-general, as International Islamic University (UIA) president because he had left Umno together with former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, is most shocking, deplorable and testimony that the Abdullah administration is not ready for a “first-world infrastructure, first-world mentality” culture to catapult Malaysia into the ranks of fully developed nations.
The UIA termination letter dated June 2 but which Sanusi received only yesterday (eight days later) did not give any reason for the abrupt sacking although his contract is not due to expire for another two years.
It would appear that quitting Umno has become a proper reason for the sacking of administrators and academicians in Malaysian universities. Read the rest of this entry »
Education – for Malaysians or Races
Letters
by Chopin
My concern is always the above. With five children at schools and rising cost of living I find it rather difficult to cope with today’s Malaysia education systems. I find it rather messy, complicated, grade-oriented and so on. Not to mention the teachers’ grumbles and tight red-tapes in its ministry level. Therefor, I would like to line up the followings if Uncle Lim could somehow bring it up or perhaps to YB Dr. Halimah Ali of S’gor Exco in charge of education.
1. Primary and Secondary Education
I would like the education system could emphasise on Child’s Creativity and character build-up rather that grades oriented. It’s a shame that teachers in our Primary education is a Maktab Perguruan graduates with little knowledge on Early Child Education. Even, I found out recently our children as young as 5-6 years old in Kindergarden are having tuitions now! Are we becoming something like S’pore now? Teachers should be a graduate with specialization in early child education or related to that. A master degree and PhD would be better. (There is always a gap between primary school teachers and secondary school teachers and the first is a bit low, so to say)
I strongly feel that with strong foundation in the early education our children would have better understanding of their future and their career path, in a crude word, they should know what they want to be. If a child says that he/she wants to be a lawyer, or a policeman, or an army personnel at least the path for that is always there for them to venture. Read the rest of this entry »
Plight of JPA medical scholars
Letters
by Frustrated JPA scholar
I am a medical student sponsored by JPA to study in Ireland about to complete my studies. I write to you after reading your article on the rot of the Malaysian healthcare system. We JPA scholars here have been very frustrated with the JPA enforcing us to immediately return to the country upon graduation, barring us from continuing training as interns (equivalent of houseman) in the countries where we graduated from This would mean we cannot obtain the sufficient exposure that would make our training complete, and would off course, mean a waste of taxpayers money as there would have been no difference with studying locally.
JPA had announced recently that none of its medical scholars overseas will be allowed the opportunity to do further train overseas even at their own expanses, and are to return ASAP upon graduation. No scholar would be allowed to stay on regardless of the training posts they obtain upon graduation. To add to the spice of JPA’s foolishness, it seems that JPA gives priority to romantic relationships over the academic achievements of its scholars by giving exception to remain overseas to those who are married to a fellow JPA/MARA sponsored student who are still commencing studies in the foreign country concerned.
Till today, I have yet to comprehend the narrow minded policies set by the JPA. JPA seems to fail to understand that by allowing its scholars to stay on for postgraduate training, many will be offered positions in world-renowned healthcare institutions. The exposure and experience gained through these positions would be an invaluable asset to the country and the rakyat in the future. Unfortunately, JPA seems to be adamant in having fresh graduate doctors returning to receive Malaysian medical training, instead of allowing these fresh grads to further train themselves and one day return as first world specialists who will reform and infuse new uptodate skills in Malaysian Healthcare a few years down the road. Read the rest of this entry »
Little Napoleon at SK Sungai Puyu utterly unrepentant
I have received a letter from “A Parent” that the Little Napoleons at SK Sungai Puyu are utterly unrepentant about their excesses, abuses of power and insensitivity about the views of the parents and the best interests of the students. The letter is reproduced below.
With the country poised to kick off the 12th general election campaign with Nomination Day tomorrow, this is an era of the government at its best conduct as part of the highly-orchestrated campaign to mislead the voters to vote for the ruling coalition once again so they have the blank cheque for the next five years to do what they like!
If during this period, when the Barisan Nasional government would not challenge any claim that “The People Are The Boss” (although BN leaders would strut about as the People’s Bosses for the next five years after a great general electoral victory), Little Napoleons are still so unrepentant and uncontrollable as illustrated by the following letter, one can only imagine the lengths these Little Napoleons and Little Mullah Napoleons will go in the schools, universities and the public sector in the next five years after the March 8 vote! Unless, of course, the voters exercise their vote wisely! Read the rest of this entry »
Shanty Chong the new DAP MP for Sandakan?
Today, at the launching of the DAP Ipoh Timur election ops centre, I should be standing before you breathing with confidence, vim, vigour, vibrancy and vitality to plunge into the Electoral Battle of the Century.
In the past one week, I should be helping the DAP leaders to develop the great and critical issues facing the people and nation in the 12th general election when 11 million voters exercise their vote – but I feel a great sense of failure that I had not been able to do so as I had been “floored” by the Penang and Perak general election problems that had cropped up in the past several days.
In fact, for the first time I started my blog more than two years ago, there was not a single word from me in my blog yesterday!
With however heavy a heart and mind, I call on Party leaders, members and supporters to immediately and instantly re-focus and not to allow whatever heartaches and mental agonies to undermine their single-minded objective – to fulfill the potential and promise of the March 8 general election as the political watershed for the country, marking a major stride in striking down the ever-powerful Umno political hegemony and the marginalization of other Barisan Nasional component parties by denying two-thirds majority to the Barisan Nasional in Parliament, Perak and Penang.
I call on all party leaders, members and supporters to give the fullest support to the party in this general election particularly on candidate decisions by the party leadership, as sometimes very difficult decisions have to be made, with everyone rallying behind the DAP in the Electoral Battle of the Century.
At least yesterday there is uplifting news, this coming from Sabah – that our Parliamentary candidate for Sandakan will be a person whom I had the greatest respect and admiration, who had been Sessions Court judge in Tawau and Registrar of Borneo High Court – Shanty Chong Chui Lin, 57. Read the rest of this entry »
Greater Scrutiny Needed for UM/PPC-MINT-Glomac Venture
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa, Education on Thursday, 21 February 2008
BY Bakri Musa
The proposal by the University of Malaya’s governing board to let a private entity, PPC-MINT-GLOMAC, develop 27 acres of campus land deserves greater scrutiny. The university’s press release of February 9, 2008 did not contain sufficient details for the public or government to make an informed decision.
I am supportive of our universities going into partnership with private entities to develop campus assets, real estate and others. That would conserve the universities’ limited financial and other resources which they could then focus on purely academic matters. Creatively and properly structured, such partnerships would benefit the university and its community, the government and thus the public, as well as the participating private companies. Handled less competently and it would result in the rapacious stripping of valuable public assets to benefit only the lucky few. God knows, Malaysia has plenty of such examples, with the boondoggle Port Klang Development Project being the latest and most expensive. Taxpayers will ultimately be left holding the multi billion ringgit tab; it is criminal that our leaders would let such scarce funds be squandered.
According to the press release, the university would stand to collect at least RM312M, or RM200M plus the profit from the project, whichever is higher. Profit figures are tricky; they can be subjected to highly “creative” accounting. Enron posted record profits the year before it filed for bankruptcy. At the other end, it is the job of smart accountants to “reduce” profits (at least on paper) especially when reporting to tax agencies. A quick and dirty maneuver would be to simply inflate your expenses by paying your executives, consultants and directors outrageous compensations. Another would be to “expense” what otherwise would be capital expenditures; meaning, charging the expense in one year instead of spreading them over many. Read the rest of this entry »
Financial Autonomy To Universities A Good Start
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa, Education on Monday, 18 February 2008
by M. Bakri Musa
The decision by Minister of Higher Education Datuk Mustapa to grant financial autonomy to public universities is a good start. He should not stop there however; he should also push to extend academic, management, and other freedoms. Our universities will forever remain trapped in mediocrity as long as they remain within the clutches of the civil service.
University of Malaya Law Professor Azmi Sharom says it best, “If we love our universities, we must set them free!”
It shows how cumbersome the administrative machinery of the government is that such a simple decision would take months if not years to implement. It would involve among others changing the various laws and regulations, right down to employment and procurement practices.
Further, with the coming elections, there is no assurance that Mustapa will remain in his present post. His successor may make yet another policy U-turn that regularly afflicts our education system. Even if Mustapa were to keep his present position, there is no guarantee that he could overcome powerful forces that would resist ceding control of our universities. Read the rest of this entry »
Another instance of rise of Little Napoleons and Little Mullah Napoleons
Malaysians regardless of race or religion must vote in 12th general election to send a loud and clear message against the alarming rise of Little Napoleons and Little Mullah Napoleons (LMN) who are totally insensitive that Malaysia is a plural society and who are more powerful than Ministers and Deputy Ministers.
In the past four years of Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s Islam Hadhari, there have been a deluge of insensitive occurrences totally heedless of Malaysia’s boast to the world of the country as “Truly Asia” where all races, languages, cultures and religions can flower with freedom and be a model to a conflict-ridden world.
This is illustrated not only by a spate of body-snatchings, bible-banning, temple demolition, stoppage of construction of world’s tallest Mazu statue in Kudat, Sabah, but also by very polarizing incidents created by Little Napoleons and Little Mullah Napoleons (LMNs) in schools, universities and the public service.
I will give the latest incident from a complaint which I have just received by a liberal and broad-minded Malay woman: Read the rest of this entry »
Kedah School- Sports selection on Thaipusam Day
Posted by Kit in Education, Letters, nation building on Wednesday, 6 February 2008
Letters
by A Parent
I hope you can publish this in your blog. The publication can be an effective deterrent for future. Your blog has helped lots of cases in this way.
I am parent of Form 1 student of Sek Men Taman Hi-Tech in Kulim.
I attended the school Sports Day yesterday (Feb. 4) and I am just shocked at what I saw.
The Malaysian government started the National Service Program, with the objective of racial integration, my foot. That 3-month stint is just a show to make money when the situation in schools are totally different.
This is what I saw yesterday. Read the rest of this entry »
19 new/relocated Chinese primary schools – question each for the five BN leaders
It is front-page headline news in all the Chinese newspapers – the approval for six new Chinese primary schools and the relocation of 13 Chinese primary schools by the Education Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein with the “All-for-one and one-for-all” group photograph of Hishammuddin with MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, MCA Deputy President Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy, MCA Secretary-General Datuk Ong Ka Chuan and Gerakan President Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon.
Nobody will say no to general election goodies, just as nobody will say no to gifts by “Santa Claus” on Christmas Day, although one is fully aware of the real intent of such goodies – which I will reserve for another occasion to touch on.
For the moment, I will like to ask a question each of the five BN leaders in the “one-for-all, all-for-one” group photograph “celebrating” the approval for six new Chinese primary schools and relocation of 13 Chinese primary schools.
To Hishammuddin – why didn’t he take the opportunity of his visit to MCA headquarters, his first as UMNO Youth leader, to publicly apologise for his “keris-wielding” at previous Umno Youth general assemblies which was highly offensive, even by MCA and MCA youth leaders and members, for being utterly insensitive to the rights and feelings of other ethnic communities?
To Ong Ka Ting – why he had not given a full public accounting as to why previous general election promises for the building of new Chinese primary schools and relocation of Chinese primary schools for the 1999 and 2004 general elections had not been fulfilled 100%?
To Chong Kong Choy – why he had failed to give full accounting for the RM4.6 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal as RM4.6 billion could have been better spent to build new Chinese primary schools throughout the country to meet needs based on increased enrolment and not to win votes before each general election. Read the rest of this entry »
BU4 school controversy resolved
Letters
by Angelia Ong
Just to let you know:
1. SMK BU4
Hip hip hoorah! You will all be glad that the fiasco at the BU4 school has been resolved. The Headmistress has now conceded to bring back the lion dance, cheerleading squad and other ‘banned activities’. Power to the parents! Fortunately some members of MI4, together with other PIBG members rallied together in a show of force. This new headmistress thought she could push her way around…. not knowing that she is dealing with the super heroes of BU4..
My residents association is very vocal thankfully and now we are continuing our fight to gain our playground/field (which I believe they have been fighting for the last 12 years) and I think a compromise can hopefully be reached.
It’s very sad to see green lungs (seeing the letters in twosen.com) of bukit kiara, kota damansara and Sg Buloh being ravaged in the name of development. Parks and playgrounds being shrunk or built on.
Another example of Malaysian university mediocrity
Educational and in particular university quality and excellence has increasingly become an important indicator not only of a nation’s international competitiveness but its capacity for development as a world-class developed nation.
A recent news report in the world of higher education is a sobre and sombre reminder as to how far we have lagged behind in the international stakes for university excellence and development of quality human resources.
Earlier this month, it was announced that the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia’s much anticipated US$10 billion university, has appointed Shih Choon Fong, a Singaporean as its first president.
Shih, who is president of the National University of Singapore, will assume the task of creating from scratch what Saudi Arabia hopes will become one of the world’s leading research institutions.
Ali Al-Naimi, Saudi Arabia’s minister of petroleum and mineral resources, who is chairman of the university’s governing board, said that Shih was “the right person” to fulfill the vision for the new institution. The university, known as Kaust, is scheduled to open in September 2009.
Was any Malaysian from the 20-odd public universities in serious running of being scouted in the extensive global search among top academic research leaders for the top job for the world’s sixth richest university even before it opens, as King Abdullah provided US$10 billion of his own money to start the new institution? Read the rest of this entry »
Time for new Education Minister if Hishammuddin cannot free national schools from the clutches of Little Mullah Napoleons (LMN)
A parent of a student in SMK Taman Selesa Jaya, Skudai, Johore has emailed his complaint of a new school ruling by the head master and discipline teacher banning the bringing of non-halal food to school.
This is put in black-and-white in the School Regulation 3.15 on “Makan dan minum” which stipulates:
“c. Makanan yang tidak halal tidak dibenarkan dibawa masuk ke kawasan sekolah.”
This is repeated and elaborated in Regulation 7.9 on “Barang-Barang Larangan” which states:
“7.9 Gula-gula, chewing gum, makanan ‘junk food’, makanan tidak halal.”
In his email, the parent was upset about one categorization of “serious offences” in breach of school discipline, viz. Item No. 28 which states “Menganjurkan atau membabitkan dalam acara kebudayaan tanpa kebenaran pihak sekolah, PPD, JPNJ dan Kementerian Pendidkan Malaysia”, causing him to ask: “I don’t understand why cultural activities outside of school is their concern. Soon going to church or celebrating Deepavali will need the same approval, or for that matter CNY.”
The School Regulation also prescribes the dress code for visitors to the school, viz:
“9.2 Pakaian pelawat, ibubapa mestilah kemas dan menutup aurat (tidak boleh berseluar pendek). Pihak sekolah boleh tidak melayan pelawat atau ibubapa yang tidak mengikuti/menendahkan peraturan tersebut.”
Malaysiakini columnist Helen Ang has coined the term “Little Mullah Napoleons” (LMN) to describe the little bureaucrats who are taking upon themselves to micro-manage how Malaysians dress – and this dress regulation for visitors to SMK Taman Selesa Jaya Skudai, Johor qualify its headmaster Haji Masdar bin Abu and discipline teacher Haris bin Ismail to join the rolls of Helen Ang’s LMNs. Read the rest of this entry »
Remove SMK BUD4 principal unless she mends her ways (4)
My blog on the complaint by a parent against the school principal of SMK Bandar Utama 4 Damansara for her lack of understanding and respect for the sensitivities and rights of diverse races, religions, languages and cultures in plural Malaysia has provoked quite a firestorm of response.
There have been over 200 comments in the three threads on the subject since yesterday:
(1) BU4 Damansara – another case of “Napoleon” and school principal insensitivity – 72 comments
(2) Hishammuddin sets worst example for sensitivities in plural Malaysia – 76 comments
(3) More about SMK BUD4 (3) – 58 comments
The complaints of the parent against the school principal, which had been endorsed by many commentators, were her decisions in imposing in a school with 85% Chinese and 10% Muslim students “bacaan doa” during assembly, banning the cheerleading team, no more wearing of shorts for PE and her directive that for CNY, the school can have a lion dance performance but without the drum.
In the comments, there have been more criticisms of the school principal’s insensitive and “Little Napoleonic” ways which are best summed up in the following email from an alma mater of the school: Read the rest of this entry »
More about SMK BUD4 (3)…
Letters
I am writing this e-mail to you regarding your latest post on my former school, SMK BUD4. What the parent has wrote to you is indeed correct. Although I have left BU4 for good but I still do communicate with my friends and teachers of that school. In fact I still do visit it quite frequently.
After hearing about these issues about the new principal I felt that I should play my part as a former student of this school as well. I have a few additional information I would like to share with you. As Valentine’s Day is drawing near, the Scout Troop of SMKBU4 proposed to sell cookies for that occasion to gather some funds for our activities and charity. But to their dismay the Principal rejected the proposal immediately by the reason that she is a Muslim and does not celebrate Valentine’s Day. As far as I know, Malaysia is a multiracial country. The government is trying to promote multiracial values but their civil servant are going against that.
Besides that, our school hold a Talent Night Event for students to show off their capability and talent every year. The new principal has also said that she does not want the event to be held this year. She told a teacher that if we wanted to attend a contest we can go to the US or other Western Countries. After hearing this I felt that this principal has a real narrow mind. I feel sad for her honestly. Read the rest of this entry »
Hishammuddin sets worst example for sensitivities in plural Malaysia?
Posted by Kit in Education, nation building on Wednesday, 16 January 2008
I have received and put on my blog another complaint by a parent against a school principal – of SMK Bandar Utama 4 Damansara – about the lack of understanding and respect for the sensitivities and rights of diverse races, religions, languages and cultures in plural Malaysia which are the real assets of the country.
It is most shocking that the never before in the 50-year history of Malaysia have there been more “Little Napoleons” who have become school principals and administrators who lack the most elementary understanding and respect for the rights and sensitivities of diverse races, religions, languages and cultures of plural Malaysia. Read the rest of this entry »
Yet Another Report on Reforming Higher Education!
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa, Education on Wednesday, 16 January 2008
By M Bakri Musa
It is a sure sign that local leaders are way over their heads (or refuse to make the tough decisions) when they start calling in expensive international consultants. This is the case with Higher Education Minister Mustapa Mohamad’s commissioning (together with the Economic Planning Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department) the World Bank that resulted in its report: Malaysia and the World Economy: Building a World-Class Higher Education System.
You can be certain that the report, 18 months in the making, was not cheap. That would be just the beginning. Consultants have a knack of making themselves indispensable, so expect even greater expenses when they are called in to help implement their recommendations.
Yet for all the expertise, wealth of data, and impressive comparative statistics presented in this 285-page report, its recommendations are nothing new or original. These include, among others, granting greater autonomy, meritocracy both in admitting students and recruiting faculty, rationalizing the role of the private sector, and emphasis on science, technology, and research.
What we lack is the political will to make the tough necessary decisions to implement them. Unfortunately no foreign experts no matter how skillful their powers of persuasion are can help in this arena. My only hope is that as those recommendations now carry the World Bank’s imprimatur, the natives are more likely to listen. Read the rest of this entry »
BU4 Damansara – another case of “Little Napoleon” and school principal “insensitivity”?
Letters
by MB
I would like to bring to your attention, the latest happening in SMK Bandar Utama 4 Damansara (near Ikano Power Centre). This school has about 85% of its students who are Chinese. Its first HM is a Chinese and followed by a Malay lady. All this while, the school has a proud tradition of good old days where students can wear shorts for PE lesson, celebration of major Chinese festival like Chinese New Year, cheerleading team and secular school type of school assembly.
Unfortunately, all these good times are gone with the coming of a new Malay headmistress who is a religious bigot. With 10% Muslim students, she is now imposing “bacaan doa” during assembly, banning of the cheerleading team, not more wearing of shorts for PE and the worse of all is that for the coming CNY, the school can have a lion dance performance by WITHOUT the DRUM.
This is really absurd because the Chinese drums are very noisy. How can a minority group in the school imposed their values on the majority group – another case of insensitivity among the Muslims
Songkok as compulsory uniform for prefects – JB English College backs down
Posted by Kit in Education, nation building on Tuesday, 15 January 2008
At 20:56,19 hours yesterday, on my thread “Songkok compulsory wear for JB English College prefects”, a blog visitor left the following posting:
However, as far as the “EC prefect wearing songkok issue” is concerned, I am surprised that no one has yet posted that the issue has been resolved amicably as the headmaster himself has announced today during an emergency prefects meeting that it is NOT compulsory for the prefects to wear the songkok for whatever function or duty.
This morning, I phoned and spoke to the principal of Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar (formerly English College) Johor Bahru, Haji Zulkifli bin Mahmood and he confirmed the veracity of the posting on my blog – that he had announced that it is not compulsory for school prefects to wear the songkok for whatever function or duty.
I welcome the return to sanity, as the compulsory imposition of the songkok issue has attracted considerable flak and traffic on my blog with three threads and 359 comments in four days, viz: Read the rest of this entry »
Suspend “Little Napoleon” school principals who trample on rights and sensitivities of plural Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Education, nation building on Saturday, 12 January 2008
The Cabinet next Wednesday should order the immediate suspension of school principals who acted as “Little Napoleons” in unilaterally and arbitrarily imposing rules and regulations which trample on cultural and religious rights and sensitivities in a plural society – demonstrating that they lack the most fundamental qualification to be school principals.
The latest manifestation of such “Little Napoleons” is Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar (formerly English College) in Johor Bahru in making “songkok” part of the compulsory uniform of school prefects in the school.
I put up on my blog the protest letter of a parent of a school prefect in Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar who said his son, who is in Form Five, would resign as a school prefect – appointed since Form II because of his exemplary conduct – if he is forced to wear the songkok. There are over 160 responses in the two threads in my blog on this issue in the past 24 hours, showing the intensity of the sensitivities over the matter.
Recently there have been an unchecked increase of incidents whether in schools, universities or involving the government decision-making process showing growing indifference, disrespect and even contempt for the sensitivities and rights of the diverse races, cultures and religions in the country – which are most detrimental to the goals of nation-building and the Vision 2020 objective of creating a Bangsa Malaysia.
Yesterday, Malaysians learn to their shock another incident of the “Little Napoleons” running wild in Malaysia – the confiscation of English language Christian children’s books said to contain offensive caricatures of prophets from several bookshops in Johore Baru, Senawang (Negri Sembilan) and Ipoh by state enforcement officials of the Publications and Al-Quran Texts Control Department under the Internal Security Ministry. Read the rest of this entry »
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