Sunday, July 12, 2009

VOICES OF DISAGREEMENT GET LOUDER BY THE DAY

I am glad that Tun Dr. Mahathir has come out openly to voice his disagreement regarding the decision by the government to revert to Bahasa Malaysia in the teaching of Mathematics and Science in schools beginning 2012. He had even “called on the people to make their unhappiness known to the government”. He also reasoned out why he had introduced English for the two subjects, which he did a year before he left office, and that his proposal was agreed upon by the UMNO Supreme Council then. He further said that “it is not about learning English. It is not about learning Malay. It is simply an acknowledgement of the fact that today's knowledge come to us in the English language”.

Tun Dr. Mahathir's reasoning is plain and simple to have solicited the approval of the UMNO Supreme Council then, and is even well understood by the people today. And why now, with a change in PM does the government think that the proposal has failed. It is unfortunate that PM Najib and DPM Muhyiddin are not medical doctors. Otherwise, they would have offered a different prescription to cure the decease that is infecting the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English. Tun Dr. Mahathir is fortunate to have a wife who is also a medical doctor in whom he could confer for a second medical opinion.

Like all medical doctors, they will not prescribe any medication until they have thoroughly examined the patient, and having satisfied himself. Sometimes they would seek an second opinion from another doctor, and that was exactly what had happened to me, when the doctor suspected that there was something amiss with my heart when I underwent a stress test. Even the second doctor that examined me later was thorough in examining me, before a final decision to perform an angioplasty on me.

I suppose, the government did not practice what good doctors would do to patients before prescribing a medication, and for this the government is now confronted with the problem of trying to justify their decision. This could have been avoided if the proposal was widely discussed right down to the parents who have every right to know everything that will affect their child. It is not merely for politicians and some civil servants in the comforts of the ministry to make a decision, or was it an idea to please some national laureate in Malay poetry or a Malay linguist?

This issue, I believe will not just fade away that easily, because the voices of the people are getting louder and bolder as the day passes.


CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

16 comments:

maurice said...

I fully agree with the statement made by Kulim Bandar Baru MP Zulkifli Nooordin (PKR) when he said, "People in the Philippines are proficient in English but many have landed up as maids.The Philippines took pride in their peoples' ability to speak English but had only succeeded in exporting many maids, whereas Japan has produced many international award-winning scientists who could not even utter a word of English.It is time Bahasa Malaysia is returned as the language of knowledge and medium of instructions in schools."

"He also called on the Government to scrap the non-national schools to promote integration and creation of the Malaysian race."(Sunday Star 12 July 2009.

nan said...

I strongly feel that it was unwise fro the government to scrap PPSMI.Not only would it create confusion but also reflects inconsistency in our education policy. If it was the rural schools that was the factor then strengthen the proficiency of english among students in the rural schools. Decisions should be made on a win win situation. It should not be the RM40 Mil savings, as the factor for the government to come to a decision but more importantly the future of the country's younger generation if they want to compete globally.

komando said...

So much said yet decision made based on POLITICS!
Fear of losing votes!
We are dead duck!
Next generations are all : "BLIND ME A THOUSAND APOLOGIES" !

SORRY NO SPEAK INGLISH! YES, OK, ALL RIGHT, THANK U!

TO IMPROVE ENGLISH - ADD MORE VALUABLE SESSIONS, ADD MORE CLASSES, ADD MORE GOOD ENGLISH TEACHERS INTO THE SYSTEM.

NO SHORT CUTS PLEASE!

MILITARY OFFICERS ARE THE WORST LOT, THEY CAN'T READ, SPEAK & WRITE SIMPLE & GOOD ENGLISH AT ALL!

THEY FAIL SIMPLE ENGLISH TEST FOR OVERSEAS COURSES IN - AUSTRALIA, USA & UK !

THEY WERE ALL KILLED BY THE SYSTEM!
ALL VICTIMS OF CIRCUMSTANCES !
TUN MAMAK WAS THE PM WHEN ALL THIS HAPPENED!

STAFF COLLEGE TODAY IS A BIG DISGRACE, WORST EVEN NOW THAN 20 YEARS AGO!

Abah said...

Datuk,

My point of View....

Honestly I got my English oriented school during my Primary and lover secondary in early 60's, but in this case I think the Govt should take a long term to establish English language to oriented our mostly Malay and rural students start from standard one. For example the first year student in 2009 onward, standard Two next year and so on.

Secondly the Govt should establish method as before, wheh at my time the Govt establish a special class known as Special Middle Class (SMC) in which begining from standard Four, some selected Mostly Malay students will enlisted to English Medium school.

Thirdly more on English subject such as English Literature and not only to Mathematics and science only.

tuahjebat said...

In his 100-Day "GIFT" PM Najib pledged to take drastic measures to fight crime and corruptions.

Aren't you, Dato' Arshad and respected readers very excited to have our Nation's top politician making this kind of pledge in his celebration of 100 days in office?

Can we now assist PM Najib, Minister Zahid Hamidi, his Mindef PTD officers, the generals in the military and Dato' Arshad to contribute to fight against corruptions in Mindef and the military?

Dato' Arshad, in the spirit of crusading against corruption, can you now facilitate us through your "mind NO EVIL" blogg?

My humble regards,

Tuahjebat

maurice said...

Dear Abah,

I think SMC stands for Special Malay Class.I went through the system myself in one particular rural Government English School (GES) many...maany ...many years ago.

With Best Regards

komando said...

There is no political will do do anything right in this country, the ruling government has yet to learn anything from the last election failures!

They remain adamant that they will remain in power forever! That is why they are not bothered what the RAKYAT says and think of them as RULERS!

They will do and say whatever that is in their favour, look at how they talk on the TV!

Are we all dumb fools in this country?

What can we expect?

Dato'Arshad and merry man can't do much, we are all hoping and praying for divine intervention soon !

Mohd Arshad Raji said...

Dear All,

I have said it once before, and I will say it again that the reason I went to blogging is because I was fed-up with the talk in the street that our military officers are a corrupt lot, discarding their pledges to only serve the king and country. Doing business is definitely out, and worse still to be corrupt. It all begins with the 'head', and if the head is rotten, what can we expect of the tail.

Abu said...

Dato,

Saya yakin diantara faktur-faktur terpenting dalam KPI yang sedang diselaraskan olih YAB DS Najib bagi ahli-ahli kabinetnya adalah di atas keupayaan mereka menghakis gejala-gejala korupsi di Kementerian masing-masing.

Dengan itu YB DS Zahid dijangka akan mengambil tindakan bagi menyelamatkan Kementah dan ATM dari terus dilanda dengan gejala-gejala negatif yang disebut olih Dato itu.

Salam Hormat

tuahjebat said...

Nice to receive your assurance Dato'.

Can anybody confirm that some very senior PTD officers, generals and admirals sit on the boards of private companies having current contracts with the government?

Interestingly, I am told that very lucrative monthly directors' fees are paid to these seniors by the contractors and additionally
"annual financial rewards" are also given to them. If all these were true I just wonder how to classify corruptions!

loreng said...

Sdr TuahJebat,

Saya berpendapat perlantikan pucuk kepimpinan ATM di setengah-setengah syarikat yang ada kontrak dengan Kementah dapat dipertahankan dari kepentingan strategik.

Kalau kita lihat syarikat seperti SMEO yang bertanggungjawab untuk membekalkan ATM dengan pelbagai jenis amunisi dan bom, sangat wajar bagi PAT dilantik sebagai Pengerusi dan PTD,PTL dan PTU sebagai ahli Lembaga syarikat tersebut, disamping wakil-wakil dari Khazanah dan sektor korperat.

Kerana SMEO dianggap sebagai sebuah kilang pertahanan stratejik negara, dengan keanggotaan mereka (PAT, PTD, PTL dan PTU) di peringkat Lembaga, maka mereka dapat membantu SMEO mecapai tahap kesiapsagaan dan pembangunan yang diperlukan olih ATM.

Sama juga justifikasinya bagi perlantikan PTU sebagai Pengerusi Lembaga AIROD bagi menentukan pesawat TUDM diselenggara dengan teratur mengikut jadual yang ditetapkan.

Perlantikan pucuk kepimpinan ATM di lembaga-lembaga syarikat tersebut lebih banyak mendatangkan faktur-faktur positif dari nagatif.

Tidak pasti samada Boustead Naval Dockyard, SAPURA,ZETRO, Deftech, Westar, Saling Arti dan lain-lain lagi ada pagawai kanan ATM dilantik di peringkat lembaga,

komando said...

WELL WELL WELL. IF THERE IS A NEED TO HAVE A PROTECTION SCHEME FOR PURCHASE OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT AND KEEP ITS' SO CALLED SECRETS !

WHY BUY FROM OTHERS ?
WHY NOT DEVELOP YOUR VERY OWN?
THAT WAY NOBODY GOT YOUR SECRET !
AND BEST OF ALL YOU DON'T SELL IT TO OTHERS !

JUST MY 5 CENTS WORTH OF AN IDEA! CAN'T SEE SOME PEOPLE CAN BLINDLY COME OUT WITH STUPID STATEMENTS AND JUSTIFICATIONS!

WE NEED NOT PUT ALL EX-GENERALS AS DIRECTORS!

THAT IS A PLOY, THOSE WHO SERVED THE MASTERS WELL ARE REWARDED!

komando said...

One more thing!

The Ex Generals cannot be employed by any "tom dick harry" ...he has too many STATE SECRETS !

HE HAS TO BE PROTECTED !

SO MUST BE EMPLOYED ACCORDINGLY !
UNLESS YOU ARE LIKE BRIG GEN DATO ARSHAD RAJI...

A DIFFERENT BREED ALTOGETHER !

komando said...

Corruption can never be "HAPUSKAN" !
NEVER EVER...DREAM ON !
SAMPAI KIAMAT TAK AKAN DI HAPUSKAN!
SELAGI MANUSIA WUJUD !

tuahjebat said...

Dato',

Please refer to saudara loreng's comments.

It would be inappropriate for me to respond to loreng in this posting because I don't intend to upset you and other readers.

Loreng has his points but many view that by having PAT, PTD, PTL and PTU or their deputies on boards of private companies with current contracts with Mindef is inviting compromises and possible corruptions.

We demand that PAT and service chiefs get those defence industry
companies "buck up" and meet contract obligations. With very lucrative "financial rewards" and
attractive perks offered to them, how effective can they be?

This is a very interesting subject and I request Dato' to have a special posting on this topic in the interest of crusading against corruption in Mindef and the military. "It all begins with the head"!

loreng said...

Sdr TuahJebat,

Harap jangan khuatir dari reaksi pembaca.Itulah tujuannya kita membincangkan sesuatu tajuk secara rasional dan ilmiah supaya kebenaran 'prevail' dalam perjuangan anti-korupsi kita ini.Sesiapa saja bolih meluah pendapatnya 'as long as we observe the rule in order to achieve a constructive and meaningful discussion.'

Mahu tidak mahu kita perlu melihat SMEO dan AIROD sebagai 'part of the MAF logistic system' dan bukan terasing darinya.Kontrak dianugerah terus kepada kedua syarikat mengikut keperluan senggaran ATM saolah-olah kedua syarikat tersebut adalah 'subsidiari' kepada ATM.

Kedua syarikat tersebut ditubuh dan dibangunkan dengan menggunakan wang rakyat dan dengan itu wajar diawasi olih pihak ATM agar kedua-dua syarikat tidak terkeluar dari sasaran yang telah ditetapkan.Tambah lagi kedua sysrikat tersebut telah diswastakan dan dengan itu pengawasan perlu lebih diperketatkan lagi.Peranan ini dipikul olih pucuk kepimpinan ATM di peringkat lembaga kedua-dua syarikat.Mereka 'accountable' kepada Kerajaan dan rakyat terhadap prestatsi kedua-dua syarikat tersebut.

Seperti yang telah terjadi dengan teknoloji pembuatan Styer Rifle di SMEA: teknologi yang mahal yang telah dibeli olih Kerajaan dari syarikat di Austria 10 tahun lalu dan 'local know-how in the making of the Steyer Rifle by our own engineers and technicians' yang telah diperolihi sehingga ini, hilang sekelip mata semata-mata kerana tidak ada wakil pucuk kepimpinan ATM di peringkat lembaganya.Ianya mungkin tidak akan berlaku sekiranya ada pegawasan olih pucuk kepimpinan ATM di peringkat lembaga SMEA.

Jadi janganlah kita khuatir sudah ada elemen-elemen korupsi dengan perlantikan mereka di kedua-dua lembaga syarikat tersebut.Bahkan mereka kini memikul tanggungjawab yang lebih berat demi menjaga kepetingan negara.