In an interview with Berita Harian on Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said segregating children by race through the education system is divisive –
“Mana boleh sebuah negara ada tiga sistem berbeza berdasarkan kaum dan agama yang tiada titik pertemuan. Kita kena ada pendidikan nasional yang melangkaui batasan kaum, agama dan bangsa.”
Read more at ‘Memperkukuh agenda perpaduan menerusi sistem pendidikan‘ (BH, 1 Aug 2015)
You will not see a Chinese face in a Tamil school, and rarely one in the Sekolah Kebangsaan. Chinese children are actively segregating themselves from the other races.
The present vernacular system allows for division according to language streams. How divisive! And the Chinese are the ones embracing this divisiveness at full throttle.
Zahid has called for all children to study under one roof. Yet in a warped response, Lim Guan Eng twistedly turned the tables by accusing Zahid of promoting disunity. Boleh pula! See, ‘Unite us, don’t destroy us, Guan Eng tells DPM‘ (The Malay Mail, 2 Aug 2015).
Guan Eng told a press conference on Sunday that the DAP disagreed with Zahid and further accused the DPM of “breaking the people apart”.
The DAP sec-gen also hoped that Zahid would make statements “that unite the people instead”. Guan Eng is clearly pulling the Bak Kut Teh-is-not-pork stunt, i.e. Doublespeak.
Race-based politics is racist
Papa Dapster is just about as confused as his protege Mama Dapster who complains about “race-based politics” but fudges when it comes to race-based schools.
First, Hannah is unhappy that MCA claims credit for the existence of SJK(C) and the she goes on to berate MCA and MIC and Umno for their “race-based politics”. Anything “race-based” is bad in the DAP’s books. It’s “racist”, you see.
Hannah urges “Folks let’s move beyond race!” – see her tweet above.
She is adamant that “race-based BN must go” – see her tweet below.
She objects to BN ministers playing “the race card”. This race-based orientation, in Hannah’s view, is so “Pathetic. Backward thinking“. She thinks the race-based party MCA is “pathetic” – see her tweet below.
She calls upon the concerned public to join the DAP in “knocking out race based politics” in Malaysia.
Hannah said, “BN tak mampu berubah, race based yesterday, today & foreva!” It looks like the DAP is similarly incapable of change by wanting to cling on to race-based schools yesterday, today & foreva.
But at the same time, Hannah believes that “young Malaysians reject race based politics“. She declares “race based politics must be put to an end“, and repeats her assertion that “race based policies” must be abolished in order for us to have a united country.
Her biggest dream for this country is for “Malaysia to be free from race based politics“. She reiterates this wish every Merdaka Day … “My Merdeka wish & prayer : Malaysia to be free from race based politics!”, “May our great nation be free from corruption & race based politics,” proclaims Hannah.
As you can see from above, the typical DAP politician is anal retentive about how destructive “race-based” anything is.
Hannah Yeoh even publicly dissed Malay flat dwellers in Subang Jaya for trying to form a residents association based on race.
Hannah Yeoh: “next generation can shape their reality the way they want it to be. Enough of race based la, u not sick of it meh?” – see tweet below
Hannah: “Enough of race based la”
It is clear from the vehement protestations above that the DAP Malaysian First icon(s) are dead set against anything that is race based.
It is also clear how the DAP Malaysian Malaysia ideology does not condone race-based schools which are divisive in nature and promoting disunity among the races. (“Enough of race based la, u not sick of it meh?” – Hannah)
Should the government decide to abolish Chinese schools, it can rely on the DAP for their full support.
This is because the DAP Malaysian Malaysia ideology seeking to create bangsa Anak Malaysia endorses ‘Malaysian’ (“no Malays, no Indians too, zero Chinese, all Malaysians”) schools where the races study together as brothers and sisters.
Vernacular schools are race based. They are divisive! DAP thinks they’re bad.
Helen Ang 
Excellent posting!
If we are serious about moving away from race based politics, the introduction of a single education system would serve as the platform to achieve this. It is an important tool in getting rid of politicians who goes on a national platform to protect the interest of a particular community. Further, Isn’t the agenda of maintaining vernacular schools a race-based agenda?
Should YB Hannah’s act of going to a mosque donning a ‘scarf’ complete with baju kurung to engage with Malay constituents be considered as a form race-based politics? Wouldn’t that be considered as racially profiling your constituents? Personally, i don’t think so.
And i also think that it is gravely wrong for any parties to consider DPM Zahid’s statement as creating disunity or him being racist. CM LGE was too quick to rebuke without even considering the merits of DPM Zahids suggestion. The simple message that DPM wanted to express is that ‘Language Unites’ and therefore we should strive towards that. It shouldn’t be deemed as being racist or oppressive. Why not consider him as being Pro-Malaysian.
The main issue with vernacular schools is that it isolates a particular race from other races, and added with different culture and beliefs , it will result in the lack of ‘opportunity’ for students to interact with student from different races. Again, Its not that they are racist or that the school breeds racism, its just that they have their own ‘eco-system’ in which they have already grown accustomed to.
The consideration for a Unified Education System should be above politics, parties from both political divide should share the same agenda and work together to justify the importance of it to their respective grassroots.
There are many other issues to politicise about, take education out of the equation. Please.
re: “Should YB Hannah’s act of going to a mosque donning a ‘scarf’ complete with baju kurung to engage with Malay constituents be considered as a form race-based politics? Wouldn’t that be considered as racially profiling your constituents? Personally, i don’t think so.”
YB Hannah sees herself as Ibu Perpaduan. She is sure that her daughter will not grow up to be race based in her views – refer @hannahyeoh’s views below.
For that to happen, Shay must not be sent to a race-based school. Sekolah Cina and Sekolah Tamil are both race-based. So divisive!
The DAP logic is that anything race-based (like MCA, Umno, MIC) is racist. Going by the DAP’s Malaysian First ideology, the divisive race-based vernacular schools must be abolished.
“‘Kita kena ada pendidikan nasional yang melangkaui batasan kaum, agama dan bangsa”‘
Fair enough Zahid , very agreeable to this.
But then you have to give equal opportunity to all students irrespective of race or locality be it West Malaysia Sabah and Sarawak.
Another matter that needs addressing is the matter of religion, let schools be schools let the children have their education without interference.Schools are meant to educate, dont mix religion with education.
As for the education system it needs to be totally revamped ,make English as the language,emphasize more on rural schools.Also get teachers who are passionate about teaching.
Its easy for Zahid as the new broom to speak on this matter maybe just to get some brownie points.
But lets face the facts, it is what it is, nothing going to change.
re: “nothing going to change”
This time it will. Najib has appointed a War Cabinet.
The social contract was between the Alliance partners in 1957. The Chinese tore up the social contract in 2013 through the tsunami.
A contract is between two parties and both sides have got to uphold their end of the bargain. MCA which lost 90 percent of the Chinese support is unable to do this and so the social contract has been voided.
Once Umno can get PAS on its side, the Malays wouldn’t need any of the other races to rule the country.
Even now, Umno has shown that it can rule all by itself in Negeri Sembilan where MCA has no Adun.
If BN wins the next general election where MCA is guaranteed to be wiped out, then Umno does not need to defer to Chinese demands because Chinese voters have zero leverage with the ruling party.
The Chinese are going to get what they voted for, that’s all.
re: The Chinese tore up the social contract in 2013 through the tsunami.
You mean by voting the opposition? Honouring ‘social contract’ means the Chinese must support Umno in perpetuity?
re: MCA which lost 90 percent of the Chinese support is unable to do this and so the social contract has been voided.
Is there a real social contract at the first place? What is the content of the contract?
Even if there is, the contract is made between our grandfather’s generation (the non-Malays) and the grandfather’s generation of the current Malays. Can it be used to bind the current and future generation?
Let say the contract is voided, what is the consequence? The citizenship of Chinese have to be revoked and ‘balik China’, close all vernacular schools and have all their wealth seized?
re: Once Umno can get PAS on its side, the Malays wouldn’t need any of the other races to rule the country.
Only when Umno allows hudud to be implemented in Kelantan, PAS will join Umno whether ‘officially or unofficially’. Allowing Hudud may win PAS’s support but will offend the non-Malay parties in BN especially Sabah/Sarawak parties. Ultimately, there may be no ‘net gain’ for Umno in supporting Hudud. Especially in current political and economy climates.
re: Even now, Umno has shown that it can rule all by itself in Negeri Sembilan where MCA has no Adun.
Najib contradicts the sentiment by appointing more MCA ministers and deputy ministers in the cabinet reshuffle.
re: “You mean by voting the opposition?”
By going to ‘war’ against the Malays. ABU – kuburkan Umno, the party that is seen as synonymous with Malay. And allowing the Politics of Hate to take over common sense.
re: “Honouring ‘social contract’ means the Chinese must support Umno in perpetuity?”
Should honour the terms of the agreement that allowed us to have and to keep Chinese schools.
re: “Is there a real social contract at the first place? What is the content of the contract?”
Quote:
re: “Can it be used to bind the current and future generation?”
The Chinese think ‘No’ and hence the tsunami.
I personally believe that the Malays would have been willing to renegotiate the contract if there was enough trust and goodwill. Unfortunately, instead of approaching the matter sincerely, the DAP chose the two-pronged method of (1) being sneaky, and (2) trying to take over Putrajaya
re: “Let say the contract is voided, what is the consequence? The citizenship of Chinese have to be revoked and ‘balik China’, close all vernacular schools and have all their wealth seized?”
You know as well as I do that our citizenship is iron-clad.
As to the “close all vernacular schools” bit, wait and see if Zahid takes it anywhere. But bear in mind, this is the first time in living memory (caveat: my memory only stretches back to the Dr M administration) that someone as high-ranking as DPM is broaching the subject.
re: “Allowing Hudud may win PAS’s support but will offend the non-Malay parties in BN especially Sabah/Sarawak parties.”
Najib may pull his ’10-point solution’ compromise – that’s realpolitik even though one may not think much of the practicality of the 10-point.
re: “Ultimately, there may be no ‘net gain’ for Umno in supporting Hudud.”
This depends on the level of the native Christian votes. We’ll know better after the Sarawak state elections in 2016.
If BN loses a lot of these (upon the assumption that the DAP’s Impian Sarawak/Sabah is successful), then the loss will have to be offset by Malay-Muslim votes which PAS can deliver.
re: “Especially in current political and economy climates.”
In the current political climate, we’ve seen Najib take desperate measures due to his desperate times. Some people did not think he would go so far as to sack TSMY. You’re thinking he won’t go so far as to take hudud on board. How sure are you?
re: “Najib contradicts the sentiment by appointing more MCA ministers and deputy ministers in the cabinet reshuffle.”
This could explain the reason for his prevailing unpopularity among the Malays.
re: Prof. Shad Saleem Faruqi
Which part of the social contract is broken?
DAP’s campaign promises langgar the equilibrium negotiated between MCA and Umno.
Ok. That is a general statement. May I ask you to be more specific?
For your convenience, I reproduce the ‘salient terms of social contract’ here extracted from the link http://www.thestar.com.my/Story/?file=%2F2008%2F10%2F29%2Ffocus%2F2394652
> The Federal Constitution contained many “indigenous features” of the Malay archipelago, among them the Malay Sultanate, special position of the Malays, Malay language, Islam as the religion of the Federation, Malay reserve land and special weightage for rural constituencies over urban ones for electoral purposes;
> State Constitutions of the nine Malay states contained provisions that the Ruler must be a Malay-Muslim and, subject to the discretion of the Ruler, the Menteri Besar must also be Malay. These provisions were not disturbed by the Federal Constitution;
> In an act of great accommodation, citizenship was offered to all persons of whatever race who were born in the Federation of Malaya. Though these generous “jus soli” provisions were repealed in the 60s, the multi-racial composition of Malaysia is largely the result of the 1957 recognition of the right to citizenship by birth;
> The Reid Commission’s time limit of 15-years on the special position of the Malays was removed. The special position of the Malays was made an integral and entrenched part of the Constitution. But clear provisions were added that existing non-Malay rights will not be extinguished in order to create quotas for Malays.
> Equality of treatment for all races in the service of the Federation was guaranteed by Article 136. It is not well known that Article 153(5) on Malay special position provides that Article 153 does not derogate from the provisions of Article 136;
> Contrary to the Reid proposal, a provision for Islam as the religion of the Federation was inserted. However, there was freedom to all other religious communities to pursue their faiths in peace and harmony. Documents were also exchanged that the addition of Article 3 on Islam will not convert Malaya into a theocratic state;
> Reid proposals on the use of Tamil and Chinese languages were modified. The permission to use Tamil and Chinese in the legislatures was replaced with the provision that these languages could be used for non-official purposes and that their teaching and learning would be allowed;
> Religious, linguistic and cultural pluralism were recognised and given constitutional protection in the chapter on fundamental liberties;
> There was an agreement to share political power. The politics of accommodation that the Alliance ushered in 1955 has provided Malaysia with the world’s longest surviving political coalition;
> The role of the Conference of Rulers was enhanced. In addition to electing the King, the Rulers were empowered to veto some constitutional amendments, to have the right to be consulted on important constitutional appointments and the right to deliberate on matters of national importance.
From my understanding, all the points above were ‘unbroken’ as of today despite 90% Chinese voters supported DAP. Which one in your opinion is ‘broken’?
153. It was challenged – implicitly (b’cos to do so explicitly would be courting sedition) – and just because the DAP did not succeed due to BN ultimately failing to be toppled, does not mean that the challenge was not mounted.
re: just because the DAP did not succeed due to BN ultimately failing to be toppled, does not mean that the challenge was not mounted.
So your are referring to ‘perception of social contract potentially be broken’ instead of ‘real incident of broken social contract’?
In my opinion the Chinese tsunami did break it.
Analogy: You and I are next door neighbours. We have an implicit understanding that you will not steal my stuff and I will not burgle your house.
Then one night, you try to break into my house. It just so happens that my door has got a very good lock which you were unable to pick. So your burglary attempt was unsuccessful.
Do I consider that you have broken our understanding / ‘contract’ to be good neighbours to each other? Yes, I do.
re: In my opinion the Chinese tsunami did break it.
Chinese tsunami happened in 2008 where 80-90% of Chinese voters abandoned BN and voted PR/DAP. Let me know if you disagree with such definition.
Does it mean that Chinese must vote BN-Umno in every election so as not to be seen as ‘breaking social contract’?
What if the Chinese maintains their 80-90% support in MCA (like in 2004) and Malays were the one voted overwhelming for PAS/PKR. We will have 90% Chinese in BN vs 90% Malays in PAS/PKR. How you describe this situation?
Do you think the Malays in PAS/PKR do not perceive the Chinese overwhelming support of DAP as an act of breaking social contract? In other words, only the Malays in Umno have such perception.
re: “Does it mean that Chinese must vote BN-Umno in every election so as not to be seen as ‘breaking social contract’?”
First, allow me to insert a Side Note, which is that the DAP has always claimed that it promotes check-and-balance. A 90:10 ratio is highly imbalanced. In the context of Chinese voters, it is now impossible for the 10% to check the 90% percent juggernaut.
About ‘breaking the social contract’, I will draw a parallel with the Umno-PAS rivalry. Did their political war ‘break’ the silaturrahim between Muslims?
At the height of Amanat Hadi, there was the phenomenon of Sembahyang Dua Iman. Husbands and wives divorced due to political differences. They boycotted each other’s kenduris.
re: “Does it mean that Chinese must vote BN-Umno in every election …”
Voting the other side is fine. That’s democracy. It’s the method in which the DAP acquired its 90 percent support that is the bone of contention. BN voters like me and others believe that the DAP did it on the Politics of Hate.
(1) When government-leaning Malays vote Umno and reject PAS, it’s more or less a political decision. They don’t obsess over it.
(2) When anti-establishment Malays vote PAS and reject Umno, some resort to mentakfir, i.e. justifying their vote by labelling Umno ‘kafir’ for working with the kafir MCA and MIC.
Malays voting Umno will not break silaturrahim but for some Malays voting PAS, there is that break because they refuse to pray in a mosque headed by an Umno imam.
(1) Back when the votes were more evenly balanced (pre-2008), a Chinese who voted MCA need not necessarily hate the opposition. They voted for expediency.
(2) However to achieve the 2013 tsunami, the DAP supporters’ endorsement of Anything But Umno (ABU) is all about hate, and most especially hate for Umno and “Umnoputras”, on top of utter contempt for the MCA whom they taunted as Umno’s “running dogs”, “waiting to be fed crumbs from the master’s table” – to quote a couple of popular sneers from the Dapsters.
Some BN-voting Malays see the hate campaign against Umno and “Umnoputras” in wider terms as a hate campaign against the Malays.
The social contract was for the two races to live in peace. I would say that the conduct and intent of the most aggressive segment of the 90 percent Chinese did indeed violate the social contract.
re: “What if the Chinese maintains their 80-90% support in MCA (like in 2004)”
Have you forgotten that many of the MCA seats were/are in Malay-majority areas?
MCA did very well in 2004 but it wasn’t on account of “80-90% support” Chinese support although in that year, Chinese support was stronger than in other election years.
Below is Francis Loh’s analysis (I paraphrased):
In 1999, there were 10 Parliament seats where Chinese voters made up more than 70 percent of the electorate. BN won 4 out of these 10.
In 2004 after Parliament was expanded from 193 to 219 seats following a constituency re-delineation exercise, there were 12 Parliament seats where Chinese voters made up more than 70 percent of the electorate. BN won only 2 out of these 12.
Dr Loh’s original write-up can be read @ http://aliran.com/archives/monthly/2004a/3g.html
If we look at the “popular vote” percentages in 1999, BN polled 48.5 percent in the large Malay majority constituencies. This is the traditional Umno vs PAS battleground.
In 2004, BN’s vote share in the hugely Malay-majority seats took a leap up to 59.1 percent. We can interpret this as BN not only regaining Malay support (following its loss due to the 1998 Anwar Reformasi and 1999’s poor showing in the general election) but enjoying a huge vote swing.
BN registered a whopping 10.6 percent increase in popular votes in the rural Malay seats. In the Chinese urban areas nonetheless, it is a different story. Despite the overall trend of BN’s enormous popularity in 2004, the ruling coalition actually suffered a loss of the Chinese popular vote in the Chinese-majority seats.
In 1999, BN received 48.0 percent of the votes in urban seats which had more than 70 percent Chinese voters. In 2004, BN received 46.5 percent of these Chinese urban votes.
Between GE10 and GE11, the BN Chinese parties saw a drop of 1.5 percent in Chinese support. Therefore, the Chinese urban voters had in reality bucked the national trend of warmly embracing Pak Lah in his first term.
You can see the 2004 election results chart here.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Back to bnm’s comments
re: “and Malays were the one voted overwhelming for PAS/PKR”
You’re wrong. In 2008 and 2013, the Malays still voted overwhelmingly for Umno. In 2008, there was the Makkal Sakti wave and in 2013, there was the Chinese tsunami.
If the Malays had not held on to Umno, the BN govt would have been toppled already – UBAH, “ini kali lah”.
re: “We will have 90% Chinese in BN vs 90% Malays in PAS/PKR. How you describe this situation?”
Impossible.
Right from the very first post-Merdeka election in 1959, the Chinese have always strongly favoured the opposition with only a few exceptions (1974, 1999, 2004) where the Chinese support for BN declined / was not that strong.
But at no time ever did support for DAP plunge to a meagre 10 percent as is the case today for the MCA and other BN Chinese-dominated parties.
re: “In other words, only the Malays in Umno have such perception.”
Here I have to agree with you. It is more the Umno Malays rather than the PKR/PAS Malays who see the social contract as being broken. The answer is simple. The compact (accommodation) was made between Umno and MCA back in the days of the Alliance, and renewed through the BN. Hence orang Umno yang terasa lah.
Beastofburden,
For none other than the no 2 man in Federal Government to say it out loud is refreshing.
It takes time. And Dr Zahid, being a politician at that level surely thinks before he speaks.
Helen is right. Dr zahid or any UMNO leader should not be worried. After all, UMNO prevails even without the tiniest of Chinese support.
So Chinese or MCA can scream out loud. but do remember the purse string that finance Chinese school: Federal government.
@ beastofburden
……But then you have to give equal opportunity to all students irrespective of race or locality be it West Malaysia Sabah and Sarawak…
Tak faham what your problem is here.
Sabah and Sarawak joined us in 1965 right? As early as 1967 we already have Sabah and Sarawak students in selected schools like TKC and MCKK. Apa masalah you kat sini?
BTW have you been to East Malaysia?
Rithmatist and HH will definitely be thrilled with this idea. Singapore closed all vernacular schools in 1987 and their Ministry of Education implemented the National System of Education;
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_planning_and_policy_in_Singapore
Eventhough majority of their population are Chinese (74.2%) and Malay (13.3%), their national anthem is still proudly sung in the Malay language;
Mari kita rakyat Singapura
Sama-sama menuju bahagia
Cita-cita kita yang mulia
Berjaya Singapura
Marilah kita bersatu
Dengan semangat yang baru
Semua kita berseru
Majulah Singapura
Majulah Singapura
Marilah kita bersatu
Dengan semangat yang baru
Semua kita berseru
Majulah Singapura
Majulah Singapura
Rithmatist hafal ke tidak lagu ni? Majulah Singapura ye bukan malulah Cinapula!
What the point of propagating Malaysian Malaysia or 1 Malaysia ,where the said Malaysian can’t even communicate with each other ,far from understanding each other .
Zaid overdue proposal should be most welcome by Malaysian and should be well supported by DAP who had been promoting Malaysian Malaysia .
Hoping what Zaid said, is just not another political propaganda ,expected to be well receive by the Malays of his new position .
quote,”Vernacular schools are race based. They are divisive! DAP thinks they’re bad.” unquote.
I totally agree with Zahid that vernacular schools are divisive.
If Zahid were to take remedial action, the DAP is duty bound to support him on principle because the party is dead set against anything that is “race-based” – an approach which it views as being “backward” and “racist”.
It was only the “race-based” Malaysian CHINESE Association that was harping on Chinese this and Chinese that, including Chinese schools. But ever since GE12 and GE13, the MCA has been thoroughly rejected by Chinese voters.
Meaning, the new generation colour blind Malaysian Firsters no longer subscribe to the MCA’s “chauvinistic” and communal old approach. The ubah-ed DAP voters of today are past race and beyond creed.
And since DAP speaks for 90 percent of the Chinese that voted the party, the government can take it that the race-free Democratic Action Party finds race-based schools to be equally objectionable.
The DAP ideology supports a Malaysian First school taught in the Malaysian/national language. Say ‘No’ to “divisiveness”. Put our children all under one roof.
What about sekolah agama and private/international schools? The former segregates the Muslim and non-Muslims.The latter segregate the rich and poor.
International schools should be limited to the children of expats and foreigners.
Sekolah agama is a case of religious segregation, and not racial segregation. First and foremost, the DAP likes to scream “racist”. So we’ll have to check with the DAP to clarify their stand on religion-ist.
For all we know, the DAP could be in favour of maintaining religious schools. The DAP Yang Berhormats who like to wear tudung, Occupy Masjid, cook bubur lambuk in the surau, tumpang puasa, quote the Quran and Hadith and extol the glory of Islamic civilization might wanna send their children to Sekolah Agama.
re: International schools should be limited to the children of expats and foreigners.
‘Should be’? Obviously, this is not the case. Anyone that is willing to pay the fees can enroll into private/international schools.
re: Sekolah agama is a case of religious segregation, and not racial segregation.
So we can allow ‘religious segregation’ (which will automatically separate the Malay Muslim from non-Muslim) but not ‘racial segregation’?
Now, what about education at tertiary levels? We have public uni, local private uni and foreign uni which we know attended by difference classes of income levels.
re: “So we can allow ‘religious segregation’ … but not ‘racial segregation’?”
Ask the DAP Yang Herhormats who like to scream that race-based parties are “racist”. So, do the same YBs also think that Islam-based wannabe parties like the New Hope are “religion-ist” too?
The DAP says that Umno, MCA and MIC should be banned for being race-based. But at the same time, the DAP is sponsoring New Hope which is religion-based.
Hypocrite much?
“‘Should be’? Obviously, this is not the case. Anyone that is willing to pay the fees can enroll into private/international schools. ”
The same logic goes to the Private Chinese Schools. Only those who can afford will go to Dong Zong schools.
Government schools should be ones that support an national agenda and racial unity is one. Unless the government funded Chinese schools can ensure at least a 50% non Chinese student body or at least 50% non Chinese faculty body, then it does little for racial unity.
Private education at tertiary level follows again the same logic as private schools. Those who can afford will get in. It is not about the colour of skin but the weight of the wallet. The public universities have to follow public policy – therefore race and domicile are in to make sure a wide representation of society.
We can accept non muslim children to our sekolah agama. No problem at all. The real question is will the non muslim parent would be willing to? If the rich would send their kids to normal SK we wouldn’t need private school or international school. Now who is segregating? The school or the parents?
re: We can accept non muslim children to our sekolah agama.
Why would non Muslim children enroll into sekolah agama Islam at the first place? Is there such precedent in Msia? Appreciate some example.
re: Now who is segregating?
A matter of:
national unity vs parents’ rights to choose the desired school (whether on racial, religious and economical lines)
Can we remove the rights of parents in our quest to achieve national unity?
There are malay muslims enrolled in chinese school….. najib goes to st john which is….a missionary school.
But why is it non muslim never enroll in sekolah agama?
You already answered for me. It is the parents that is segregating their children into parallel group that will come to head in the future. Now we already have non malay speaking citizen. It is kinda hard to differentiate between mainland tourist and local chinese nowadays. So do not blame the school, but blame the racist parents who chose to segregate along the racial line.
If unity is what we are looking for than something must be sacrificed such as vernacular school, missionary school, private international school and parents right to choose by taking away the choice. Every child must have equal education quality and SAME syllabus. We also need to abolish all these zong zong association and have only one national representative body for headmasters and teachers. No more UEC or UEI. If any foreign uni dont accept malaysia accreditation, too bad, go find those who accept.
By the way, i see private college and uni as money grabbing educationist. I personally know 12 foreigners who enroll with private establishments so they can live and work here. No need to go to class some more. I fell they need to be nationalized so we, the citizen, might have better, equal and affordable tertiery education. What say you?
‘missionary school’
All 438 of them! DAP nak tutup juga ke? Ada berani ke?
re: If unity is what we are looking for than something must be sacrificed such as vernacular school, missionary school, private international school and parents right to choose by taking away the choice.
Agree with you. People only call for abolishment of vernacular school. They only look at unity from racial lines. They have no problem for segregation along religious (read Sekolah Agama) and economical aspect (read private/international schools and private/overseas universities).
If we want unity, do it across the board. Don’t selectively pick on vernacular schools.
re: I fell they need to be nationalized so we, the citizen, might have better, equal and affordable tertiery education.
Parents’ rights to choose the school for their kids = economic rights
If you have the money, you can choose any school. If you have no money, go to national schools or public university. No way the gomen’s aspiration for racial unity can overrule your economic rights. No nationalisation will happen. As simple as that.
The only choice people should get is national education or foreign education. Period. Without this ultimatum forced on the people, unity between races, religions and the haves & havenots is only a daydream. Might as well let it be as it is.
Kerajaan tidak patut biayai sekolah agama. Biarkan pihak swasta biayai. Taki kena la kerajaan bayar.
Wasn’t Guan Eng educated in English stream schools. Why is he championing all-Chinese schools? Can’t he see how divided the people are out there, every group identifying with their own linguistic and cultural habits?
DAP leaders can be awfully confused sometimes. That’s how Hannah Yeoh can register her older daughter as a Chinese and her younger daughter as an Indian.
Jadi kira yang Guan Eng dok melenting kat Pak Zahid tu sekadar bab terlepas cakap.
We must refer to the party ideology of Malaysian Malaysia.
The DAP has been strongly advocating Malaysian First. So very obviously they support Malaysian schools where the medium of instruction is the Malaysian language, i.e. bahasa kebangsaan as per Article 152 of the Federal Constitution.
Bottomline: DAP supports Malaysian schools; DAP is against race-based schools because anything “race-based” is divisive and racist.
“English stream schools” are the ones having the identity crisis. There were changed into Malay medium schools but yet the teachers, students and parents do not want to accept teaching totally in BM. The classes are done in rojak BM and English. Schools like St Xaviers have traditionally very bad rates for SPM Malay. Many of the students have to re enroll in Han Chiang for STPM in the 1980s are many fail to get a BM Credit. These people can’t speak proper BM as they have an attitude against the language, they can never learn Mandarin – again an attitude against the shi pu shi.
Attitude problem like the media barons Tong Kooi Ong and Ho Kay Tat?
That is the Banana man attitude. Yellow outside but white inside. Their attitude is that with English they are better than others. Better than the Chinese educated or Malay educated and the poor poor Tamil school souls.
They only believe by learning English one can be learned. You can’t ever become clever with BM, Mandarin or the poor poor Tamils. You would notice they are current ones who talk down on others. You see that in the DAP Evangelistas, the alternative press like MKini etc. You see them at the International Schools.
You would notice the Banana looks down on BM and Tamil. They send their kids to Chinese schools as a save the backside thing. (Chinese must know Chinese but their kids do very very very badly in Mandarin because ENGLISH is king.)
To them English is progressive and BM is kampung. The Banana attitude (also includes deliberately non Tamil speaking Tamils).
re: “That is the Banana man attitude.”
I was wondering if Ho Kay Tat is a Penang boy and had his secondary education in one of the Penang schools.
http://www.sopasia.com/awards/2007-members_ho_kay_tat.html
USM graduate.
Before that? Just wondering. Got impression he’s Penang boy. I could be wrong, of course.
Even LGE once sent his son to Heng Ee…
https://helenang.wordpress.com/2011/10/17/anak-guan-eng-menuntut-di-smjk-cina/
until one fateful day…
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/178876
the boy went to St Xaviers.
I wonder what school does Shay Shay go to?
As near as they may come, parallel lines will never meet
Parallel is still better than one going north-east and the other going south-west.
Ini zahid tin kosong. Rhetoric only to get support. His past track record shows. Drama lebih, habok tarak
But he wasn’t holding the No. 2 position before. Times have changed and now he’s in a much better position to call the shots. PM will not touch certain issues as he’s already unpopular and that’s where Zahid comes in.
Actually, vernacular schools will naturally have lesser students in the coming years. The current cohort of infants are 70+% Malay and only 15% Chinese.
Based on what he (Zahid) said, “.. in the next generation, not in one or two decades..” I think the government is just going to go with the flow and let the vernacular school system shrink by itself.
With lesser children, we should be able to afford longer school hours. Morning session for national curriculum then the afternoon session for studies in language, religion and other electives. At least the children will be together in the morning then they can go to their separate classes after lunch. But all in one compound so that they can interact and play together.
re: “only 15% Chinese”
Wow!
What a noisy minority. The world’s loudest, I daresay.
This is what the Chinese in Malaysia do not want to acknowledge. The Chinese population is dropping dramatically. And it is has very little to do with migration to somewhere else. It has something to do with the number of Chinese babies born in Malaysia.
It has always been a monicker that some tease the Malays for having lots of babies and Chinese babies are few but with quality. This monicker has backfired on the Chinese. The Chinese population percentage in Malaysia and “quality” Singapore have shrunk since independence.
Why did you think Singapore imports Mainlanders to become their citizens?
It is the Chinese who want to practice super efficient birth control. Don’t blame other races when the population drops and they have no more quantity.
Chinese schools will phase out eventually not because the Malays are out to get the schools. It is because of demand. Fewer Chinese babies means fewer demand for Chinese schools. In fact the Chinese should be happy that the demand for places in Chinese schools now come from Malays and Indians.
‘It has always been a monicker that some tease the Malays for having lots of babies and Chinese babies are few but with quality.’
The PRC Cina in Singapore says the same about Cina Singapore. Or wait got LKY oso, Rithmatist and gangs please take notice…
LKY (wrt the video)was saying talent is a cherished commodity regardless where they are from. Locals have to overcome their ‘discomfort’ about pendatangs because they (talent) are crucial to the survival of Singapore.
So what is your point?
Words of wisdom from LKY indeed.
Wasn’t that what Sekolah Wawasan was about? 1 compound for the different schools
Yes but it didn’t scale up enough to have impact. I suspect over time, schools will have to consolidate as student numbers drop, hence the Wawasan concept can be implemented within an existing infrastructure instead of having to have 3 schools clumped together.
Orangkampung
Sekolah wawasan was initiated to bring all the races together in one compound jut like all the races in one country ,letting them mingle around in a small unit .
It’s a good initiative during Tun Mahathir time ,hence now, I believe it’s just like sekolah kebangsaan ,did’t have a support from the Chinese an Indian as well.
I believe they prefer to remain as they are . letting just the Malay cries for unity , but on the other hand labeling the Malay as raciest ,propagating Malaysian Malaysia just for wanting to dissolve the Bumiputra status for the Malay and Sabah and Sarawak native ,not more than that I believe .
Hence if DAP are serious with the idea of Malaysian Malaysia and do away with vernacular education ,Malays would be ever willing to support them .
Then I wonder why are the pro chinese educationists like dong zong ect crying for more chinese schools, more chinese teachers and all that?
There’s a general trepidation, even real fear about Malay-medium Sekolah Kebangsaan for the reason – obvious today by ISIS standards – that it is prone to influence by Islamic radicalism and a culture of terror-mongering.
On the other hand, mainland China is an emerging economic powerhouse and it will seem to be an investment to have one’s children educated in Chinese culture.
Actually, these views are too polar to be grounded in reality. I think traditional Islam still holds the ground in Malaysia and Chinese culture, long scarred by radical Maoism has yet to return to its classical norms in society.
In the meantime materialism and consumption looms large in people’s minds.
In the Name of Allah Most Compassionate and Merciful
UNESCO, International Bureau of Education (2000)
“The Educational Philosophy of Al-Ghazali”
Click to access ghazalie.pdf
[excerpts]
“Over the past three decades, a new current of “combative Islam” has appeared and grown rapidly, and is attempting to gain control of the Islamic world. Some observers see this trend as a
new revival movement, while others perceive in it a threat not only to the Islamic countries, but to the entire world, and a source of destabilization, taking Islam and Muslims back fourteen centuries.
This new movement derives its intellectual foundations from the teachings of Abul A‘là al-Maududi, Sayyid Qutb and Ruhollah Khomeini, as well as their hard-line followers active in any
number of countries. It advocates the proclamation of society as impious, the forcible elimination of existing regimes, the seizure of power and a radical change in social life-styles; it is aggressive in its rejection of modern civilization. The adepts of this trend hold that Islam, as professed and practised over many centuries, provides the solution to all the political, economic, social, cultural and educational problems facing the Arab and Islamic world, and indeed the whole planet.
The struggle between the thought of al-Ghazali and that of al-Maududi is still under way and may turn out to be one of the most important factors in shaping the future of the Arab and Islamic world. Whatever the outcome of this struggle, al-Ghazali remains one of the most influential philosophers (although he objected to being described as such) and thinkers on education in Islamic
history. His biography – as a student in search of knowledge, as a teacher propagating knowledge and as a scholar exploring knowledge—provides a good illustration of the way of life of students, teachers and scholars in the Islamic world during the Middle Ages.”
Vernacular schools are race based. They are divisive! DAP thinks they’re bad.
And 90% chinese voters that voted for DAP should agree too, right?
Yup, they want a new colour blind, united Malaysia where everybody are like brothers and sisters, praise the Lord. That’s what they keep upanting.
DAP is first and foremost a political party.
Political parties can’t afford to be self serving, they have to yield to the will of their constituents to garner support.
If the majority of their supporters want venacular schools to stay, who are DAP to dictate otherwise?
“If the majority of their supporters want venacular schools to stay, who are DAP to dictate otherwise?”
Then DAP should sack all those MPs who are anti venacular schools. If not then be prepared to wear the Munafik logo.
The same thing. MPs are elected by the people. If the number of MPs who do not support venacular schools are elected to power are in the majority, then automatically the survival of the venacular schools will be in jeopardy. Again it is not DAP that dictates.
Sack MPs who hold dissenting views?
Is there any DAP elected representatives unwilling to toe the party line with regards to venacular schools?
Who?
There might be DAP MPs who are anti-venacular schools, but doubt anyone is willing to against populist sentiment that may jeopardize their electability in the name of personal convictions. Unless the Chinese community itself, which formed the bulk of DAP support are willing to let go their Venacular education, DAP hardly wants to go there.
DAP can be racial because that is what the 90 percent Cina wants and that the DAP being populist in their approach to politics.
But when UMNO listens to populist view among the Malays, they are deemed racist, first and foremost, HH?
I have nothing against UMNO appeasing their supporters to an extent that is not detrimental to others.
Since BN is the government of the day, the onus is on them to deliver a seemingly objective and fair governance that reflect the spirit in which this nation is founded upon.
Disunity ‘is not detrimental to others’?
While we are on the subject of race, religion and education, did you know in the SPM apart from Islam, Christianity is offered as an elective. (9221 Bible Knowledge Bible Knowledge English)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sijil_Pelajaran_Malaysia
There are no electives for Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism or Hinduism. To be fair, shouldn’t those subjects be offered as electives and not just Christianity? If Christians and Muslims can take a detailed course on their religion, why not the rest?
Some tearjerker for lunch today.
Every time she thought about Anwar and his meals in prison also tears were rolling down her cheeks. All that crying for all and sundry has not diminished her appetite any.
You need lots of calories to sustain continuous crying. Probably her next book could be a Crying workout book.
Helen,
This tweeter Queen is known only for well “tweeting”. Buat kerja haram tak boleh.
One thing that most Chinese do not realise is that for almost entire Malay community, UMNO is not racist. MeaninG Malays are not racist.
many Chinese friend of mine are surprise when I told them that as per Malay perception, Chinese is racist to the core. UMNo has its weaknesses but it is not racist.
DAP is leading the chinese to collide with Malays. I believe the Chinese know the implication but they go along with DAP as they too want DAP to grab power. What they choose to ignore is that DAP is putting themm into firing line.
The result is startling. Most of states in BN ruled states can be termed as UMNO Governments.
i would like to see race based schools and race based politics to go away. Is it possible for umno to disband mca and mic, and allow non-malay malaysians to join umno as members and leaders?? umno should set an example, then it’s easier to moot the idea…
umno akan mati sendiri. Masalahnya alternatif tak menarik. Orang mengantuk nak bantal tapi tak ada bantal.
Surrhead,
If race base school is abolished ,there’s a chance to disband race base political party as well ,then UMNO will be known as” United Malaysian National Organization” , where all Malaysian will participating .
The Malays will be ,” no hal ” with that, but will the Chinese do ?. The way it is now ,the Chinese like to remain as Chinese ,and Indian like to remain as Indian ,thus only Bumiputra are Malaysian .
TT, i believe you are a nobody in/to umno….thus your call that there’s a chance the race based political parties will disband does not carry weight…..BTW, saying the schools should set the example seems kinda awkward, logically it’s the ruling body that should set the example
‘Chinese children are actively segregating themselves from the other races.’
The Cinas in Singapore cakap those PRC pendatangs kena belajar jadi Singaporeans instead of expecting others to change for them! Cina Malaysia banyak kena belajar daripada Cina Singapore nih!
You still consider Indians and and Chinese as pendatangs? And you wonder why the non Malays find it hard to totally buy into the whole 1Malaysia bs and assimilate fully.
My message is pretty simple. If the PRC pendatangs in Singapore are told to toe the line and observe the local ‘amalan dan budaya’, what more the local born in Malaysia, kan?
Maybe if you speak Bahasa Melayu like most native does, you will understand better. But then again, I DON’T THINK SO!!
‘1Malaysia bs’
Melayu dari awal pun dah cakap yang 1Malaysia ni bs, cuma kami tak suka menjerit, melalak tak tentu hala, macam hampa semua!
FYI, the Malays does not have to prove themselves as Malaysians.Quite the contrary. Accept the fact and deal with it already!
Quote:
“FYI, the Malays does not have to prove themselves as Malaysians.Quite the contrary. Accept the fact and deal with it already!”
You are basically advocating Malays make the rules and is free to shift the goalposts in tandem with their agenda of the day.
If that is the case, then you are lending truth to the claim there are indeed class distinction within the Malaysian citizenry.
No lah. I’m just reiterating Dasar Kebudayaan Kebangsaan. Nothing more.