12/04/2008
Mukhriz Mahathir
My earlier reading of Mukhriz found him to be fairly neutral and rational, unlike his father. Since his intent to seek a political career, his latest proposal to abolish Chinese and Tamil Schools and the reasons given by him exposed what he really is, another Mahathir.
The reasons for the Chinese and Tamil to want their own vernacular schools is not simply a case of retaining their ethnic identity but more a case of over coming the discrimination by Malay National Schools and govt policies that obstructed non Malay children from pursuing their education despite their ability to do so.
The past practices of unfair quota and allocation of school places and university places have forced the two minorities to find alternative means to educate their children. That is why there is a Tengku Abdul Rahman University. If the govt could implement education policies fairly and provide equal opportunities for non Malay students to pursue their education, vernacular schools need not come about.
With hindsight, the abolishing of vernacular schools is a big step backward for UMNO and it can expect the opposition to be strong no matter how they try to dress it up. The Chinese and Indian communities know that only they themselves can look after their own welfare and interests. Even when they are prepared to pay for their own schools, this was also denied by the past UMNO govt.
Mukhriz is opening up an old wound.
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9 comments:
When majority Rules:
"The Chinese and Indian communities know that only they themselves can look after their own welfare and interests."
WOW!!:( Likewise Malay and Indian communities must know that only they themselves can look after their own welfare and interests.
Self preservertion and survival.
there are some discriminations here which are obvious, but for very different reasons. if you understand what kind of discriminations the malaysian chinese and indians are going through and the reasons for the discrimination, singapore is indeed a paradise for the minorities. and to add to the icing, there are even positive discriminations in favour of the minorities.
you are free to disagree, but try to look at it objectively instead of emotionally when you compare the two systems.
Their folly is our gain. Let them continue with their policies. For obvious reasons the standard of their universities are now falling behind those of its Asean neighbours like Indonesia, Philippines etc.
My sister in law is a Chinese Malaysian and I am not Indian , Malay or Chinese or Angmoh but a asian and a minority anywhere, everywhere.
I know Singapore fare better in some instances and also giving apperance of social cohesiveness and well being but be real.
Singapore is indeed a paradise.
"there are even positive discriminations in favour of the minorities" why are they there? there should be none regardless of race or ethnicity as long as we a citizen of a nation(any).
i am no policy maker and can only guess. maybe to compensate for some negative discriminations. maybe politically it is good to get the minorities a little help.
positive discrimination is always good as long as the majority don't make an issue out of it.
Whatever form of discrimination is never right, no matter the reason. So, you say it is alright to cast aspersions on the loyalty of our fellow Malay citizens and discriminate them when it comes to positions in security establishments ? Malaysia has never boasted that they are a bastion of meritocracy and that every citizen is treated equally. Heck, their Constitution, the supreme law of their land alludes to a certain ethnic group being accorded special status. So no one is in the dark as to what system they practice. Singapore, on the other hand proclaims something, yet does something else. That si hypocrisy and double standards of the highest degree.
agree with you that any form of discrimination is not right. similarly, by proclaiming that a country is following a discriminatory system does not make it right either.
as the common people, we talk about right and wrong in the absolute. but as decision makers, it is not easy to make decisions based simply on right and wrong. we have many unpleasant and uncomfortable grey areas or obviously wrong areas in our policies other than just on this issue.
i do not want to sweat myself to explain or defend any position. let those who are paid to do the job sweat it out on this.
in national issues there are always grey areas and compromises and some will be affected more than others. every govt decision will affect people in many ways. the bottom line is the bigger picture. that is why the govt is still in power despite a lot of misgivings and criticisms. but once the balance is tipped when the negatives are more than the positive, even govt will be changed
for the time being, which ever govt comes to power, they will have to walk the tight rope.
I did not say Malaysia is right but at least they are not hypocrites.
now i must defend paradise: )
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