Archive for category nation building
Discipline the Little Napoleans
Posted by Kit in Education, nation building, Religion on Monday, 26 July 2010
By Thomas Lee
MySinchew
26.7.10
It is indeed a relief that Deputy Prime Minister cum Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has given an assurance that non-Mulsim religious clubs or societies are not banned in schools.
Muhyiddin has pledged that school clubs and societies related to non-Muslim activities that have been in operation for decades need not be disbanded.
He said the Education Ministry has not issued any directive for such clubs or societies to close.
If such is the case, then disciplinary action must be taken against the officials of the Selangor Education Department and certain school heads who have been flexing their muscles to curb religious activities by the non-Muslim students in the schools.
The recent case of the Klang High School being ordered to close its non-Muslim religious clubs is not an isolate case. Read the rest of this entry »
Scrap the 10-yr-old Education Ministry circular restricting formation of non-Muslim religious societies in schools – against 1Malaysia and NEM to educate a critical and creative generation of Malaysians
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Education, nation building on Monday, 26 July 2010
The 10-year-old Education Ministry circular restricting the formation of non-Muslim religious societies in schools is the best example of Little Napoleons running riot in the civil service working against the national interests of educating a critical and creative generation of Malaysians and harnessing the multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural assets of plural Malaysia.
What is the use of boasting about Malaysia as a model of ethnic, cultural, religious and biological diversity and Malaysia’s rich and unique cultural heritage when restrictions continue to be in place affecting the formation of non-Muslim societies in schools?
The Cabinet on Wednesday should scrap the 10-year-old Education Ministry circular restricting the formation of non-Muslim religious societies in schools as it is against Prime Minister’s 1Malaysia slogan and policy and the New Economic Model objective to educate a critical, creative and innovative generation of Malaysians.
The Education Ministry circular dated 16th December 2000 stated that non-Muslim religious societies formed before 2000 need not have to be registered but remain as status quo. Those set up from 2000 onwards need approval by the registrar, which is the state education department director.
For ten years, the circular was used by Biro Tatanegara-trained Little Napoleons in the Education Ministry to discourage, hamper or downright disallow the formation of non-Muslim religious societies. Read the rest of this entry »
Every Cabinet Minister and Barisan Nasional component party should take a stand – whether in support of Muhyiddin or Nazri on Perkasa and formation of Chinese, Indian, Iban, Kadazan Perkasas
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, MCA, Muhyiddin Yassin, Najib Razak, nation building on Wednesday, 14 July 2010
Two diametrically opposite stand on the recrudescence of racist posturings and outpourings in Malaysia 53 years after Merdeka, 47 years after formation of Malaysia with Sabah and Sarawak and 15 months after Prime Minister’s Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s proclamation of 1Malaysia policy.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz rightly smacked down the ridiculous idea of the MCA Vice President Datuk Lim Siang Chai for a Chinese version of Perkasa to counter Perkasa.
I fully agree with Nazri when he described Siang Chai’s suggestion was “ridiculous” as it would only cause racial tension among the Malays and Chinese at a time when the government should be defusing it.
It is utterly shocking that a Deputy Minister of the Najib administration which advocated a 1Malaysia policy could envisage and even publicly propose the formation of Chinese, Indian, Iban and Kadazan Perkasa to counter the extremist racist posturings and outpourings of Perkasa, as it is a great disservice to five decades of Malaysian nation-building and a total repudiation of Najb’s 1Malaysia policy to create a vibrant, productive and competitive nation where every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first and by race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic group second.
But what is even more shocking is that the MCA Deputy Minister’s ridiculous suggestion of a plethora of ethnically-based Perkasas has the blessings of the Deputy Prime Minister and Umno Deputy President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who came to Siang Chai’s defence. Read the rest of this entry »
Chinese Perkasa the most irresponsible and worse possible response by MCA to Perkasa
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, MCA, nation building on Monday, 12 July 2010
The proposal by the MCA vice president and Deputy Finance Minister Senator Datuk Lim Siang Chai for the formation of a Chinese version of Perkasa to counter Perkasa is the most irresponsible and worst possible MCA response.
It is also the latest and most potent proof of the complete failure of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia to unite Malaysians of diverse races, religions, cultures and languages in the country.
Is it seriously suggested that the way into the future for Malaysia is for the sprouting fo ethnic versions of Perkasa – not only Chinese Perkasa, but also Indian Perkasa, Iban Perkasa, Kadazan Perkasa and Orang Asli Perkasa?
If Najib’s 1Malaysia policy is successful as a meaningful Malaysian nation-building policy, there would be no Perkasa let alone the ridiculous suggestion by a top MCA leader for the formation of a Chinese Perkasa to counter Perkasa.
Read the rest of this entry »
Aren’t we all Malaysians?
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, nation building on Monday, 12 July 2010
By Dr Kamal Amzan | The Malaysian Insider
July 11, 2010
JULY 11 — When I was in standard one, my religious teacher asked the class ‘Is it okay for Muslims to worship praying idols?’ To her shock and horror I stood up and said, ‘Yes!’
I was asked to stand on the chair and my parents were called to school on the very same day to see the headmaster. At that moment I didn’t know why.I can vaguely remember words like naughty, hyperactive, less — Muslim used in their conversation.
I still remember the expression my teacher had on her face. It was a cross betweenSimba the lion cub and one of the gargoyles you see in the cartoon, ‘The hunchback of Notre dam.’
I know. It was scary. Imagine the trauma I had to go through then.
Read the rest of this entry »
Formation of Chinese Perkasa: A Dangerous Way to Win General Election
Posted by Kit in Kee Thuan Chye, MCA, nation building, UMNO on Sunday, 11 July 2010
by Kee Thuan Chye
Malaysian Digest
11 July 2010 | Sunday
The call for the setting-up of a Chinese Perkasa to counter the Malay right-wing group’s racial attacks is one of the most outrageous things I’ve ever heard. Yet this is a call that comes from none other than Deputy Finance Minister Donald Lim Siang Chai, who is also an MCA vice-president.
How can a deputy minister suggest such a thing? Is he speaking as an individual or does he have the endorsement of the MCA – or, worse still, the Government?
That he is part of the ruling administration makes the call suspicious. It seems to corroborate what many have come to suspect – that Perkasa (Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia) is linked in an informal way to Barisan Nasional, that the NGO is actually doing the dirty work that BN cannot be seen to be doing, i.e. championing Malay rights and taking a hard line stance against perceived adversaries.
Chauvinism has been outsourced to Perkasa, observers say. In light of Lim’s statement, one might be persuaded to see a connection.
What is objectionable about Lim’s call is that it will reinforce what Umno itself has been drumming into the minds of the Malays – that the non-Malays, particularly the Chinese, are a threat to them, that the non-Malays want to take over the country. Read the rest of this entry »
Introduce 1Malaysia pledge on occasion of 53rd National Day for all participants, schools, universities, 1.2 million civil servants, Ministers, MPs and all Malaysians to be “Malaysian first and race, region, geographical region or socio-economic group second”
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Najib Razak, nation building on Friday, 9 July 2010
Minister for Information Communication and Culture Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim announced yesterday that the 53rd National Day theme from August 1 to September 16 is “1Malaysia Transforming the Nation”.
At present the 1Malaysia logo has flooded the country but it does not add one iota to the nation-building process.
Adding one sentence “1Malaysia Transforming the Nation” to the ubiquitous 1Malaysia logo also does not make any meaningful contribution to the nation-building process.
If the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is serious about the 1Malaysia policy – with the officially-stated objective to create a Malaysia where every Malaysian regards himself or herself as Malaysian first and race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic group second, the government must go beyond slogan, logo and other publicity stunts.
Read the rest of this entry »
Muhyiddin should explain whether 1Malaysia is meaningless slogan or serious policy to make Malaysia more competitive by creating a nation where every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first and race second?
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Muhyiddin Yassin, nation building on Monday, 5 July 2010
Deputy Prime Minister and UMNO Deputy President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is getting very defensive.
In Parit Sulong yesterday, Muhyiddin accused me of being more “racist” than him and defended his earlier statement that he is Malay first and Malaysian second, and he asked:
“Tanya Lim Kit Siang sama dia akan mengaku Cina atau bangsa Malaysia.”
It will be tragic if after 53 years of nation-building since Merdeka in 1957, Malaysian politics is reduced to political leaders exchanging allegations of who is more racist.
Firstly, let me state that I have not called Muhyiddin an “ultra”. However, he owes a full accounting to all Malaysians as to whether he really supports the 1Malaysia policy advocated by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and whether Najib’s 1Malaysia is a meaningless slogan or a serious policy to make Malaysia more vibrant, productive and competitive where every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first and race second?
Read the rest of this entry »
No Kaamatan promotion at airports — Kit Siang
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Najib Razak, nation building, Sabah, Sarawak on Tuesday, 1 June 2010
By Chok Sim Yee | The Borneo Post
KOTA KINABALU: Pesta Kaamatan (Harvest Festival) is one of the highlights in the Sabah annual calendar of events, but sadly, not much effort has been made to promote the cultural event, even at the main gateways to the state — the airports.
At least this was what Democratic Action Party (DAP) advisor Lim Kit Siang noticed when he arrived yesterday.
Claiming that there was not much effort done by the federal government to recognise and promote Pesta Kaamatan, he said this defeats the whole meaning of the 1Malaysia concept, which was the brainchild of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
“Pesta Kaamatan is the most important celebration in Sabah but sadly, I do not see any Pesta Kaamatan-related decorations when I arrived at the airport,” he said, pointing out that it was the best place to promote the event as it is the first place to welcome incoming tourists, be it domestic or foreign.
He also questioned why Najib could not even spare some time to attend such an important programme.
Read the rest of this entry »
An inspirational story
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, nation building on Wednesday, 26 May 2010
Letters
by Justin Hong
I was 18 in 1997, I came home half completed my high school in England because my father was bankrupted. He was a contractor bankrupted because the licensee, Taib’s uncle defaulted on paying royalty to the Government. Pocketed all the money my father gave.
Together with 6 of my friends we went to Komat in Sama Jaya to look for jobs as they only required MCE; to help out the family.
The HR lady was an Iban, on our turn she refused to give us application forms and demanded our qualifications. Without even understanding us, we were turned away. On further enquiry from us, she said, the 250 posts were all filled. It was 10.25am and the application counter just opened at 9.30am. Asked the guard to show us out.
Komat repeated publication for the posts for another week. We went back again and again were rejected. This time she asked us to look for jobs in China. Read the rest of this entry »
Latest QS Asian University Rankings 2010 a sorry tale of unchecked drop/decline of the standards/international standing of Malaysian public universities.
Posted by Kit in Education, Election, nation building, Sarawak on Friday, 14 May 2010
The country’s premier institution of higher education, Universiti Malaya, has dropped two places to 41 this year from 39 last year, while Universiti Sains Malaysia which was granted Apex status in 2008 only managed to maintain its ranking at 69 – just like Universiti Teknologi Malaysia at 82.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, however, took a tumble from 51 to be placed 58, with Universiti Putra Malaysia improving its ranking from 90 to 77.
The continued drop of ranking of Malaysian Universities in Asia is part of the larger disease of Malaysia becoming the “sick man of South-East Asia” – resulting in a decade of economic stagnation and national decline in all aspects of national life, whether educational excellence, good governance, institutional professionalism, human rights or environmental protection.
This is why the New Economic Model (NEM) crafted by a panel of local and foreign experts have sound the warning: “We must act now before our position deteriorates any further”. Read the rest of this entry »
What the Chinese want
Posted by Kit in Kee Thuan Chye, nation building on Sunday, 2 May 2010
By Kee Thuan Chye
In the mood for celebrations?
Every time the Barisan Nasional gets less than the expected support from Chinese voters at an election, the question invariably pops up among the petty-minded: Why are the Chinese ungrateful?
So now, after the Hulu Selangor by-election, it’s not surprising to read in Utusan Malaysia a piece that asks: “Orang Cina Malaysia, apa lagi yang anda mahu?” (Chinese of Malaysia, what more do you want?)
Normally, something intentionally provocative and propagandistic as this doesn’t deserve to be honoured with a reply. But even though I’m fed up of such disruptive and ethnocentric polemics, this time I feel obliged to reply – partly because the article has also been published, in an English translation, in the Straits Times of Singapore.
I wish to emphasise here that I am replying not as a Chinese Malaysian but, simply, as a Malaysian.
Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia over the last two years has entered into a deep and inexorable “systemic crisis”
Posted by Kit in nation building on Saturday, 17 April 2010
By Clive Kessler, Professor of Sociology at the University of New South Wales
A second major post-independence regime crisis.
The first post-independence political dispensation lasted from 1957 to 1969, when it collapsed in the wake of national elections that demonstrated rapidly diminishing support for the inter-ethnic governing coalition among both the nation’s Malay and non-Malay citizens.
A second dispensation was accordingly created, designed to last for twenty years until 1990. Grounded in the view that the 1969 crisis had stemmed from a profound sense of Malay exclusion from the benefits of independence and national development, its core political imperative was a far-reaching national project of pro-Malay affirmative action. Implementation of these bold programmes required the development of an ever-stronger state that came increasingly to dominate Malaysian society.
But even after 1990 the same policies continued to be pursued, in fact even from strongly than before. These expanded measures were now justified not as necessary for the overcoming of Malay relative social deprivation and exclusion but in the name of assuring “ketuanan melayu” or comprehensive Malay political dominance, ascendancy, or “hegemony”.
Read the rest of this entry »
When Muhyiddin repeats he is Malay first, Malaysian second, no wonder there is blackout at the MCA 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme briefing
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Muhyiddin Yassin, nation building on Friday, 16 April 2010
Yesterday there were two 1Malaysia programmes – the launching of the 1Malaysia Motivation Expedition Squad by Gagasan Pelajar Melayu Semananjung (GPMS) by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme (GTP) briefing organisd by the new MCA President Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek and featuring the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Idris Jala.
When Muhyiddin proudly reiterated that he is Malay first and Malaysian second at the GPMS launch, no one is surprised that there was prolonged blackout at the 1Malaysia GTP briefing in MCA headquarters on the same day.
In fact, every time Muhyiddin declares that he is Malay first and Malaysian second, he is delivering an open slap in the face of the 1Malaysia and KPI Minister, Senator Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon.
Forty, thirty or even 20 years ago, the twisted logic and reasoning given by Muhyiddin to justify his “Yes, I am a Malay first and no apologies” stance might have a powerful market, but in the 21st century and the second half-century of Malaysia’s nation-hood, such ultra views are facing a diminishing support base.
Read the rest of this entry »
Lowest Chinese and Indian representation in the civil service in the 53-year history of Malaysia – 5.8% Chinese and 4% Indians as at end of 2009
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Economics, Najib Razak, nation building, Parliament on Wednesday, 7 April 2010
The other two factors which can cause the failure of NEM as identified by the NEAC are:
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Reform programmes have often met with strong resistance from powerful and vested interests, which subsequently forced their derailment; (Perkasa the extremist right-wing racist organization is one such “vested interests”) and
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The implementing authorities failed to stay the course, either due to a lack of political will or inherently administrative weaknesses.
Although NEM proposes a “big push” in policy actions and initiatives to kick-start the transformation process, what ‘big results” have been achieved in the 1Malaysia concept in the past one year?
How can the public have confidence in the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) when there is no seriousness or commitment by Barisan Nasional leaders in the 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme (GTP), as demonstrated by the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who had declared himself “Malay first and Malaysian second”?
It is sad and tragic that despite my challenge, not only Umno Ministers ran for cover, Ministers from MCA, Gerakan, MIC and other BN component parties also dare not declare that they are Malaysians first and their race whether Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan or Iban second in keeping with the 1Malaysia concept.
Read the rest of this entry »
I am Malaysian first
Posted by Kit in Kee Thuan Chye, Muhyiddin Yassin, Najib Razak, nation building on Monday, 5 April 2010
By Kee Thuan Chye
I am proud to call myself Malaysian first and Chinese second. And if I were to tell other Chinese Malaysians that, I don’t think they will shun me.
Even if they do, so be it. Let them. If they are so narrow-minded as not to see the beauty of calling oneself Malaysian first, I don’t want to have anything to do with them.
I have two children to whom I have given Malaysian names, i.e. Malay, Indian and Chinese names. It is my contribution to Bangsa Malaysia. Their identity cards bear their full names.
In both cases, their Malay name comes first. And that is the name my wife and I call them by. We call our daughter Soraya and our son Jebat. To us, Malay names are also Malaysian names, and our children are Malaysian. We have no hang-ups about it.
Now, why can’t this be the norm in this beautiful, rich, multi-racial nation – a nation that is beautiful and rich because of its many races and cultures? Why must we separate ourselves into divisive categories? Why can’t we take the inclusive approach, consider each of our fellow citizens as being part of a whole, as part of us instead of as the Other?
Read the rest of this entry »
Gerakan National Central Committee should convene emergency meeting to give ultimatum to Koh Tsu Koon to declare he is “Malaysian first and Chinese second” or be removed as Gerakan President
Posted by Kit in Gerakan, nation building, UMNO on Saturday, 3 April 2010
The Gerakan Youth Secretary-General Dominic Lau had rightly come out with a public position criticizing Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for his declaration that he is “a Malay first and then only a Malaysian”, asking him to be Deputy Prime Minister for all Malaysians and not just for the Malays; cautioning him to be mindful of the fact and reality that Malaysia is a multi-racial and multi-religious society and warning him not to forget the lessons of the March 8 “political tsunami” in the 2008 general elections where the people have made clear that they wanted a government for all Malaysians and not just for anyone ethnic group. (Chinese Malaysiakini 3.4.10)
This statement by the Gerakan Youth Secretary-General shows that there are still people at least in Gerakan Youth who have not completely lost their sense of idealism and national service in politics, especially as Gerakan national leaders like the previous Gerakan President Tun Dr. Lim Keng Yaik had repeatedly declared that Gerakan’s mission is nothing less than to achieve a Malaysian Malaysia.
The Gerakan National Central Committee should follow up on this statement by the Gerakan Youth Secretary-General to convene an emergency meeting to give an ultimatum to the Minister for 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme Roadmap, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon to declare that he is “Malaysian first and Chinese second” or be removed as Gerakan President.
Read the rest of this entry »
Najib’s first anniversary marked with his 1Malaysia signature theme in complete tatters – will the NEM go the same way as 1Malaysia?
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, nation building, Parliament on Friday, 2 April 2010
Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s first anniversary as sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia is marked with his 1Malaysia signature theme in complete tatters, raising the question whether the other pillar of his premiership, New Economic Model unveiled three days ago will go the same way as his 1Malaysia slogan.
When Deputy Speaker Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar made an arbitrary last-minute rejection of my amendment to the Motion of Thanks for the Royal Address late last night, provoking a collective protest walk-out of the Chambers by Pakatan Rakyat Members of Parliament from PAS, PKR and DAP, it was not only a black-letter day for parliamentary democracy but also for Najib’s 1Malaysia concept and slogan.
I had moved the amendment motion for the establishment of a Parliamentary Select Committee on 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme Roadmap to monitor and report on its progress and development at the conclusion of my speech in the debate on the Royal Address two weeks ago on March 18, and it was seconded by the PAS MP for Kuala Krai Dr. Mohd Hatta bin Mohd Ramli and had been accepted by the Chair.
It is against all parliamentary precedents and practices for the amendment motion, which had been properly moved, seconded and accepted two weeks ago, to be suddenly rejected at the last-minute just before voting on the specious ground that it had nothing to do with the Royal Address.
Read the rest of this entry »
Challenge to all the other 17 UMNO Ministers and other BN Ministers to stand up and be counted to declare whether they are Malaysians first and Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans or Ibans second or the reverse
Posted by Kit in Muhyiddin Yassin, Najib Razak, nation building on Thursday, 1 April 2010
In response to my challenge on the four acid tests of whether he really supports Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia concept, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin declared he is “Malay first” and then only a Malaysian.
He said: “I am Malay first! But being Malay does not mean you are not Malaysian. It is not a race issue.”
Again accusing me of trying to drive a wedge between him and Najib, he said:
“The question of 1 Malaysia should not be brought up. When a leader talks about the interest of his own race, it does not mean he doesn’t support 1 Malaysia. 1 Malaysia is based on the Constitution.
“How can I say I’m Malaysian first and Malay second? All the Malays will shun me and say that it is not proper.
“There is nothing wrong in leaders fighting for their own race. Don’t tell me Kit Siang does not fight for the Chinese?”
Read the rest of this entry »
Muhyiddin should resign as DPM if he is not prepared to declare that in accordance with 1Malaysia goal, he is Malaysian first and Malay second
Posted by Kit in Muhyiddin Yassin, nation building, Parliament on Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said in Parliament yesterday in his reply as Education Minister that he supported the Prime Minister’s message of 1Malaysia and instead accused me of trying to drive a wedge between Datuk Seri Najib Razak and him.
Muhyiddin said:
“Ipoh Timur has questioned my commitment to the concept of 1 Malaysia. For Ipoh Timur’s information, 1 Malaysia, which was created by the prime minister, is a pure idea aimed at strengthening racial unity which has been the basis of our strength as a nation.
“Unity reflected by 1 Malaysia is not a form of assimilation where one’s identity is erased and replaced with one identity. It is also not a concept which rejects the special rights of the Malays as propagated by Ipoh Timur through the concept of Malaysian Malaysia and lately Middle Malaysia.
“My relationship with the prime minister is very close and 1 Malaysia has the support of the nation. The allegations made are aimed at weakening Barisan Nasional. I am confident that Barisan Nasional lawmakers clearly understand the concept of 1 Malaysia.”
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