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Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Malay Special Rights and Education/ 马来特权与教育

两天前,我在报章上读到这则让人暴跳的新闻:一名马来学者声称,奖学金是马来人的特权,任何人不得置疑。

这句话竟然出自一位饱读诗书、钻研学问的知识人的口中。现在,我可以理解为何国内大学的学术水平会逐年走下坡。我想,不用多久,马来西亚的大学将会跌出世界首500个最佳大学排行榜。

在我国的大学里面,依然有不少的学术人士以为,特权也可以赋予他们智慧。有些人把特权视为天生应得的待遇,但其实这只会为自己塑造一种拐杖思维。事实上,在学术领域知识超越一切,知识和种族没有任何关系。但由于我国实行“选择性入选和晋升”,年复一年的偏差,造成我国竞争实力滑落,无法与国外其他大学同席竞争。
每当有优秀生无法获得公共服务局奖学金,人民必然鼓噪喧哗;但人民也能够理解和接受世界上任何一个政府都无法赞助国内每一个优秀生;大家也能理解学术成绩优越不代表申请者必符合其他申请条件包括面试,成功被遴选。确实有些个案证明,一些优秀生只精于啃书,缺乏组织、领导、沟通、社交等技能。

可是,凡正义之士都无法接受当局在审核及颁发奖学金的过程中,存有偏袒或歧视。类似的课题也经常在闭门会议中被提出,而官员的解释是除了评估申请者的学术成绩,也包括30%的面试、经济背景和课外活动表现,这些都足以影响优秀生的申请成绩。

如果评估和遴选程序果真大公无私,那么公共服务局应该让广大人民对他们有信心。事实上,该局奖学金的程序有点含糊难懂,应该更透明化,否则只会让人民对该局产生更多猜疑及憎恨。人民联盟在大选期间承诺将为教育作出更多的贡献。如今,人民联盟掌政的州政府应该设立各自的教育基金,配合中央政府的努力,协助发展教育领域。
--------------------------------
2 days ago, I was shocked to read a Malay academician saying that scholarships are a Malay’s special right and should not be questioned by anyone. Coming from an academician, I can understand why Malaysian universities are going downhill. If this rate of decline continues, soon, there will be no university listed in the top 200, let alone top 500 world universities.

In Malaysian universities, there are still academicians who think that special rights for Malays also endow them with intelligence. Unfortunately, the stark reality is that in academia, intellectual prowess comes first and has nothing to do with race. However because of years and years of 'selective admissions and promotions' the standards have declined so much so that we are now on the brink of being unable to compete on a level playing field.

Unfortunately, special rights to some have become an entitlement by birth. This only serves to build the 'tongkat mentality'. Everytime a student gets excellent result and does not get any scholarship from the JPA, the rakyat can accept the following reasons: no government in the world can give scholarships to every qualified students, academic excellence does not necessarily mean that they will do well in the interview, more so when a lot of scholars are just bookworms with very poor social skills.

However, no right minded Malaysian can accept racial discrimination in the awarding of scholarships. This issue has often been raised in closed door meetings and somehow government officials seem to be able to come out with some reasons that why one of these students (academically) are knocked out in their application since 30 marks is given to interview, economic background and extra curricular activities. The JPA must do more to convince the rakyat that there is fairness in awarding of scholarships. The process as it is, is too opaque and can do with a lot more transparency. Otherwise, it’ll only breed suspicion and hatred towards the government.

Pakatan Rakyat during the election promised to do more in education. States under Pakatan Rakyat should start their own state education fund to complement the federal government after winning the states from BN. Instead, they have been keeping quiet about fulfilling their manifesto on education.

28 comments:

Anak Pinang said...

Datuk, in Malaysia there are many things come with the birth for certain race, born as a certain religion, not able to change the religion for life. born with all the rights and all the facilities. Isn't race born equal but rules and regulations are made to separate the people of the same red blood.

KIMHO8 said...

The ruling of BN (more than 30yrs)
has caused the tragedy.

PAKATAN RAKYAT just started less
than 2&1/2 months.

Education department is control by our central government UMNO.

林聪明 | Howard Lim said...

马来西亚华人在教育的诉求上只是希望能得到公平的对待,因为这一点是绝对没有人可以否认的基本人权!

如果今天马来西亚只是一个贫穷国家,在这片国土上温饱难求,教育环境恶劣,人人艰苦,那无论是任何民族,想要得到优秀的教育都是困难的,当然,华人也一样必须接受教育缺乏的事实,无人权可言;然而今天我们所看到的一切,却不是那么一回事!我甚至可以这么假设,如果今天我们在大汉山里发现一头能在大马教育文凭考试里拿到一课A的人猿,它一定获准以奖学金在国立大学里修读专业,而且举国尤有荣焉!其他非土著.... 不及!

Dr. 在马来学者身上发现学术低落的果实,而且这也突显了竞争真空的环境如何败坏了我国的其中一项重要资源 --- 人数最多的马来子弟!我们可以想像,如果今天我们活在一个没有腐化的教育系统里,则当今在市场上活跃的人力资源则将充斥大量的优秀马来人!

政治造就了经济氛围,同时衍生出教育环境,什么样的政治结构,就产生什么样的教育状态,今天马来西亚的畸形教育系统,完全得归功于畸形的政治组成方程式。制衡体系的失调,更逐步的恶化我们的教育生态!甭说状态百出的国阵,让我们看看刚取下槟州的民联政府,甫一上任,大势宣扬非种族政治的林冠英先生便一口气委了两位非华裔副首长,若非种族政治,特意委非华裔副首真的比选贤任能更加重要吗?小弟笨拙,实在不解!还是说,那也是变相的固打制?若然,实在让委以重望的百姓们心寒。

笑看风云 said...

Hi DR.Chua

Stupid and senseless comment, "put salt on wound ".

The so call "hearted people" ,years after years of donation and donation.
The student , years of "tuition", and hard hard study
The parent years of dedication patience, time and money.

tough is an understatement.

" People can't make you die, unless the god want you to die"

i used to told my friends .
" education , is not the responsibility of parent alone. the children must play their part "

---- an open mind for option.
eg. nurse ---then doctor.

笑看风云 said...

Hi DR.Chua

Stupid and senseless comment, "put salt on wound ".

The so call "hearted people" ,years after years of donation and donation.
The student , years of "tuition", and hard hard study
The parent years of dedication patience, time and money.

tough is an understatement.

" People can't make you die, unless the god want you to die"

i used to told my friends .
" education , is not the responsibility of parent alone. the children must play their part "

---- an open mind for option.
eg. nurse ---then doctor.

bexe said...

Last Dec at a signing of an MOU between UNITAR & one of America's best Colleges, I heard the DPM say that education was the best way to protect Malay rights. He announced that UMNO will buy UNITAR. As such education of this caliber is to be provided to the exclusion of others. The news was reported in the back pages but it was a silent fascist attack on the rights of the other races. So you now know where this Malay academician got his inspiration from.
The American College would find it untenable to be a Party to such blatant discrimination & fascism
Why then would MCA open UTAR to all including Malays?

Unknown said...

You are all deemed to be born equal only when you pay your taxes. The only solution is to amend the constitution.

Tan Sri Dr. Chua Soi Lek 丹斯里蔡細歷 said...

By Lysender

Dear Dr. Chua,

This resulted lot of Malaysian talents rather go overseas than stay in Malaysia. Education is a service that provided by the government and it should fair to every Malaysian. Since we called ourselves Malaysian, we should be treated equally with regard of the race or religious. And Education system shouldn't link with politic. And Education system should be consistence, and it shouldn't be always changed when the Minister changed.
On the other hand, Education System should up-to-date and able to follow the needs of the world, in order for the student to be competed. Hopefully, our Education Minister be able to think more for our students. God Bless........

Unknown said...

I agree with this: " education , is not the responsibility of parent alone. the children must play their part "

We are the key of our own destiny. Why expect people to help us when we ourselves are not doing enough to help us? Times are tough, kids are getting smarter by the years, a handful of As do not secure yourself a scholarship anymore. Whatever you want, go overseas, good education, etc. You've got to work hard for it and not expect help from anyone.

Anonymous said...

This is a tricky problem. But, we need the Malay's votes, so we have to go along with the system. Only when a chinese malaysian becomes PM can this system be overhauled.

dragonfly said...

In Malaysia, it's their birth right to plunder tax-payers money (80% tax-payer are non-bumi according to Tun M) to satisfy Malay rights. Yet so proud by depriving rights of others thru various discrimatory policies. Dare OKT say this right in their faces.

yatim said...

I am shocked by your comments expecting the PR state governments to do something abt the schorlarships. MCA & MIC were with BN for 50 years. How come we never come across what you mentioned in your article. IS it because MCA & MIC were cohort coverts in the BN govt. It is more sickening that you expect the PR state govt to come up with something. Shame on you.

KIMHO8 said...

For those who are not rich, they even
never step on many other states before. They cannot afford to go oversea like me.

It means our poor smart malaysian kids have to sacrifice their future because of the country system. They should blame others or others should blame them.

Pearls said...

Uncle Chua,

You make me laugh! You still get all "shook up" by such statements? Haven't you been hanging around Malaysia long enough to know that such remarks/statements are expected of the "ketuanan Melayu"? I am better than you.. Such statements won't ruffle or rattle me because I know that when prick talks, they talk cock!!

As for Pakatan Rakyat complimenting the federal government in education, let's get real here for a minute... we have seen how the federal government behaves in such scenario. Remember tourism? Remember the 2nd Penang Bridge? Remember!??? For the love of God, let's not molly coddle ourselves into believing the federal government is run by a bunch of matured and sensible people. They are not!!! So, how to compliment?

Actually, I am in the opinion that since "ketuanan Melayu" buggers are quick and loud to voice out that it is their right to education no matter how stupid they are and nobody is to question this privillege, well, what is MCA waiting for? What is MIC waiting for? Waiting for durian to fall ah??

Fast fast go do the same thing for their own race la? Quick la! Must I tell you that MCA should continue to establish more education institution for the chinese? Not just tetiary level.. but perhaps secondary and primary and kinddie?? Must I also tell you that MCA should also start this quota business with their own education institutions? Chinese get preference! I am sure such effort will be supported by the many many rich chinese businessmen around? In a nutshell, what I am saying is this.. "TID FOR TAT.. AN OUNCE OF BUTTER IS AN OUNCE OF FAT! THESE KETUANAN BUGGERS KNOW HOW TO PLAY SUCH GAMES, WE TOO ARE EQUALLY GOOD IF NOT BETTER!"

Yah, let's get real here... There will never be equal shit here. Live with it! The only way to go about it is to either soar above it or sink like a titanic with it. If I am you, I will chose to soar above it and I believe the Chinese community is all game for it. What can these dumb ass huan nars do? Stand by and see la... they can keep their hopeless, useless universities... afterall, if these universities are not going to get any recognition, than what good are they?

Oh.. I am such a bitch today!

malayamuda said...

If MCA and MIC leaders claims to represent the chinese and indians respectively, they should be prepared to stick out their necks and speak up when there is a crisis affecting their race.

please do not bluff the people by saying that BN has proper channels and BN spirit to solve these issues.

thats all bullshit Dr Chua

Arena Green said...

Dr Chua, may I ask you how many programmes run by UTAR and TARC recognised by local professional bodies?

Ah Beng Crosby said...

Dr. Chua, as much as you want to tell PR to do the correct way, bear in mind that today's situation in which our universities are being populated by questionable qualified students is the result of the policies of BN which MCA has a hand in it.

Because of the lop sided policy, we can see the result of our universities ranking drop and brain drain happened and at the same time Singapore benefitted from these policies.

As far as the Malays think they have the rights to everything, let them have it, I felt nothing, our universities are nothing but a breeding ground for the incompetence.

Personally I want the Malays to have these rights, so that they can't and won't be able to stand on their own, making their race a weak race. With their big population, if they are a strong and capable race, the other races will not be able to compete with them. Let them be weak, let them shout they are the tuan, let them syiok sendiri.

சாமான்யன் said...

Dear Dr. Chua,

I do not know where to begin.

I am an Malaysian Indian. I have always had this strong opinion that the minorities in this country are weak politically because of quite a few reasons.

But, the most important reason of all is the fact that you chinese are shit scared of everything.

You are so into wanting to "not rock the boat" that you dare not even whisper the slightest protest about anything for fear of ending up rubbing UMNO on the wrong side.

If a community which comprises 25% of the population dare not talk out against the excesses and injustices happening everyday in our midst, how are we Indians who make up less than 8% to voice our un-happiness ??

The scholarship selection is a load of bullshit. Calling Matriculation exams to be on par with STPM is bullshit. For the Prime Minister to go on the air on Merdeka Day and tell the whole world on TV and chant "untuk pertahankan Marua Bangsa, Agama and Negara" and calling himself the Prime Minister of every citizen is also the same Bullshit.

But, what do you guys in MCA, MIC, GERAKAN and PPP so...... NOTHING !!!!

Brudder, it is time the whole lot of you are replaced.

Deva

Anak Johor said...

Today (21/05/08) there is an article by Zainul Arifin in the New Straits Times asking the government to bring back the English medium schools (like the ones before Bahasa Malaysia was used in primary schools).

A very bold suggestion indeed. Not sure how the minister of education will react, or even bothers to react.

Sometimes I just wonder, the Malaysian Chinese are said to love their mother tongue so much that they will go to all extent to preserve the Chinese language in primary schools. If this English medium primary schools were to be re-introduced, ie. allowed to exist again, how many Chinese parents will send their children back from Chinese primary schools to these English medium primary schools again?

Every morning you can see thousands of young Chinese children going crossing the causeway from Johor Bahru to Singapore to study; partly because the parents don't like the Malaysian educational system, but I think more so because they "love" English more.

Any comments?

David BC Tan said...

if pakatan politicians have to fulfill their manifesto, what is bn and its component parties doing to fulfill theirs - so malaysians can truly be malaysians? it's amusing how enlightened some politicians have become after GE12.

tiger50 said...

Dr Chua

Scholarships are meant for students of exceptional ability and is suppose to motivate students to achive higher standards and is a source of pride and recognition for the receipient . If it becomes a special right for only one race, it will become a meaningless subsidy and the reciepient is not reconized as a special student in his country since he is only competing with a part of the population, so anyone winning this type of scholarship is seen as a 'tongkat scholar' unable to really compete in the real world. The fact that this escapes the comprehension of many of our acadamicians is an indication of how deep this tongkat mentality has permeate into our society and how low our acadamic education has degenerated with our flock of tongkat universities generating swamps of tongkat graduates which are virtually good for nothing. Are we doing anyone a favour here? In this globalised economy these tongkat graduates will be decimated by the competition from China, India Vietnam let alone by graduates from developed countries
Sadly once you give a tongkat you cannot take it back because the reciepient will fall, so the system will forever be perpectuated .
Maybe those who did not recieved these tongkat scholarships may be better off as they have to fight to get their degrees and will value them

hhh said...

only fairness and quality in education can bring prosperous to the country...
we are a MALAYSIAN too...

Dato Thomas Teg said...

I am for Malaysia,

Datuk,
I agreed with some of your comments.I saw some fews ago there was as static saying PSD gives 25,ooo scholars and only 2,300 plus goes to Non-malays.This is ridiculous and as malaysia and alos as MCA we should fight to at least increase to 30-40% to non-malays.it is like malays 90% and nonmalays-10%????....
MCA in the past had been under Tun Mahathir's strong man influence and had been subjected to a special condirtioning and are not able to speak out strongly for their stands.This is what I called "LEARNED HELPLESS Sydrome " MCA has to get out of it otherwise we can see that UNMNO has not changed their stance and will not recognise why Malaysia community have adbandoned BN.............so if MCA stays in BN,but the big brother still do not want to accept they have to do things for the Malaysia cmmunity fairly...I don't think they could stay as the next ruling government.

Anak Johor said...

Remember the statistics given in the parliament recently, that racial compositions for government university intakes are Bumiputras 79.9%, Chinese 12%, Indian 3.2, and the rest are foreign students?

How can we believe the Non-bumis are only good enough to qualify for 15.2% of the places in government universities? Are we really serious when we talk about meritocracy; does the BN government really practice what it preaches? It simply has no credibility.

The BN government may say, “Look, non-bumis still can afford to pay and study in private universities.” But why should we do that if we deserve a place in government universities? You think I have no better place to spend my hard earned money?

For the time being, the Pakatan Rakyat looks sincere, fair and clean enough in its governing. If MCA does not have enough will and influence to effect any change within the BN, especially UMNO’s thinking, let’s give PR a change to govern this country.

Dr. Chua, I had voted for BN since Day One I was eligible to vote, even during GE12. Imagine a person like me can also begin to wonder should I continue to support BN under the present circumstances? If MCA is to stay relevant, it really has to do some soul searching and think hard about its future role in Malaysian politics.

bexe said...

MCA is no more relevant. So if there is a snap election, almost every Chinese will abandon the BN.

Anak Johor said...

Let Abdullah decide if he wants to call a snap election. Isn't it true that the EC already said it is ready any time for a snap election?

Let's see if BN can still form the next government.

NEIL said...

Dr, Ask them what really is all their special rights.That would be once and for all. We don't want to hear these bullshit everyday.Whenever there is a confrontation they always say they are the majority,special rights,their country etc. You know what they are..cowards or what s'porean are call 3k...kia su,kia lew.kia si.No guts.

C3 said...

Dear Dr. Chua,

The entire education system lacks competitive environment. Most school also lacks the BUDGET for promoting sports, arts and culture which is the backbone for youth spirit to develop talents for our future. If DSAI is correct about RM10 billion goes to corruption every year, we only need 10% of the dirty money to develop a workable education program for all students in Malaysia. If we could cut down corruption and put back the money in good use, we can make everybody happy and call ourselves Bangsa Malaysia!

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