Johor GE13: DAP the King of Pakatan

While Umno are busy with its general assembly in KL now, the DAP are relentlessly working here in Johor.

Actually Johor DAP have been doing so since the end of 2008, while BN were still reeling from that disastrous general election.

It was believed that among their strategies was to move some of their supporters to strategic constituencies.This include the changing of IC addresses and voting registration of these supporters in the new constituencies where they believe DAP can win.



This was based on the abnormal increase of Chinese voters in certain areas.

Sources indicated that over 50 per cent of new voters registered since 2008 in these following State constituencies are Chinese  - Senai, Skudai, Penggaram, Puteri Wangsa, Pengkalan Rinting, Sungai Abong, Johor Jaya, Bukit Naning, Nusa Jaya and Bukit Permai.

I don't think there were any sudden population bloom among the Chinese in those areas at any period of Johor history. The only explanation is that those "additional new voters" come from other constituencies where DAP can't win.

I had previously posted the danger to Johor BN in parliamentary areas with high percentage of Chinese voters here -

Johor GE13 : The Chinese votes 1

I am honestly still in gloomy mood and had this morning decided not to post anything today, but this article I saw in mysinchew made me decide to write something.

It was written by Sin Chew columnist  Tay Tian Yan. I had read some of his previous articles and he came across as not being very BN friendly. This particular article was picked up by the pro-Pakatan Malaysian Insider.

(I am putting it here with addition of my own thoughts)

THE BATTLE ROYALE

    13th general election
    Opinion

 2011-12-01 18:36

By TAY TIAN YAN
Translated by DOMINIC LOH
Sin Chew Daily

PKR and Umno have successively held their general assemblies.
(Me - Umno not finished yet)

And the timing offers an excellent opportunity for people to make a comparison between the two.
(Me - Agree)

PKR's assembly was anything but momentous. Safe for the challenge by Youth leader Shamsul Iskandar that Umno amend the Constitution to ensure only Malays could become the country's prime minister, which did manage to arouse some controversies, the assembly was otherwise largely uneventful and uninteresting.
(Me - Agree)

But that does not mean PKR is devoid of its characteristics. Just the opposite, the party made a wise strategic move by holding its general assembly in Johor Bahru.
(Me - Aiyo, lame gimmick la that one)

Wait a minute! JB? The stronghold of Umno? Was PKR looking for trouble?
(Me - Poor attempt at being cheeky by Tay)

Not exactly. The strongest point of the rival could also be its most vulnerable part.
(Me - Too drama leh)

The clash of German and Soviet tanks in Kursk during World War II is a point in question.
(Me - Ok, I am a history buff - I would put in reply the Allies attempt to attack Germany via Italy, which was then erroneously described by Winston Churcill as the soft underbelly of Europe)

The Germans' fortress was on the west of Kursk. However, they opted to launch their attack from the south and north in an attempt to encircle the Soviet troops and wipe them out.
(Me - Ok, correct)

The Soviet troops almost could not resist the 6,000-strong tank invasion from the south and north, and it was pretty clear that the Russians were very likely to be crushed anytime. But then the Germans halted their assault due to supply disruption.
(Me - Wrong - The Russians broke the Germans' communication code and know the enemy were coming. They were prepared and built such a solid defense that the Germans exhausted themselves in the attempt to penetrate it)

Seizing the opportunity, General Georgy Zhukov mobilized his troops to counter-attack the Germans on the west. With most of their troops now bogged down in the north and south, the Germans were unable to redeploy their men to defend and were defeated, spelling a prelude to their eventual surrender.
(Me - The Battle of Kursk was a draw. Hitler pulled back his army due to the huge losses. The Soviets lost even more but they have more resources. The Soviet gain strategic advantage due to that leading them to win the war)

Back to our country. Many people think that the major battlefields in the coming general election will be in Selangor, Perak and Kedah. To be honest, the place that will determine the final outcome is none other than BN's stronghold in Johor.
(Me - What Tay didn't say is that, it is DAP's crucial battleground as they expect to win additional Parliamentary seats here, PKR can only hope for tokens from them while Pas who are to break the Malay votes will get nothing)

States like Perak, Selangor, Kedah and Terengganu are most definitely the frontline states that will see very heavy gunfire.
(Me - BN is secure at least in Terengganu despite Umno's infighting there. Pas is no longer as strong as they are made out to be)

While both BN and Pakatan may lose or gain some seats in these states, or perhaps some state administrations may even change hands after the election, the outcome is nevertheless unlikely to alter the parliamentary tectonic plate post-2008.
(Me - More or less true)

Johor is the biggest unknown. It is indeed a powerful fortress state for BN on peninsular Malaysia, but no one can tell whether it will remain BN's most assured asset.
(Me - Tay, I think you were pretending la - of course it is known - the storyline will be simple - DAP is banking on Pas to break the Malay votes for them while PKR just getting a free ride. The stupid one is Pas lah. I had wrote this repeatedly. DAP is the absolute king of Pakatan in Johor but they know BN is still too strong for them)

BN's two other fortresses--Sarawak and Sabah--are basically heavily secured lots that are extremely unlikely to tip.
(Me - What Tay? Are you trying to suggest Johor will tip? You are a senior writer la, don't make a fool of yourself, ok. Or rather don't try to convince those Pas fools that it is a Pakatan thing. The whole opposition show in Johor is DAP's. Pas and PKR are just comic relief characters in this State. They, in particular DAP may get some extra seats in the worst case scenario for BN but they will not take the whole State)

Johor provides a different picture. It is not that segregated as the two states in East Malaysia while the people have higher political awareness and better access to information.
(Me - Johor may not be geographically segregated, but it is different from the other States in the Peninsular because it always has a good BN State government. Not much corruption, especially under the current administration. Even Johor DAP chief Dr Boo Cheng Hau will agree with me on this.if he is truly an honest man).

Unmoved in March 2008 does not mean Johor will remain unmoved in the coming general election.
(Me - True, but only among the Chinese overall votes. The Malays, despite some stupid Umno people and all stupid Pas people are still solidly with BN)

Moreover, the state has a relatively high ratio of Chinese population: Over 30% in most constituencies and 40% in some.
(Me - Kulai got 58 percent and Gelang Patah 53 per cent of Chinese voters - Tay, go update your figures, ok)

Besides Bakri that is already in DAP's embraces, constituencies like Kluang, Gelang Patah, Tebrau, Pasir Gudang, Labis, Johor Bahru, Pulai, Tanjung Piai, Segamat and Sekijang are all no longer BN's sure bets.
(Me - Tay, you miss Kulai, the parliamentary constituency in Johor with the highest percentage of Chinese voters. What are you trying to do here? You want BN people there to continue to sleep ka?)

If BN loses this important battlefront, its hopes of retaining Putrajaya could be dashed.
(Me - OK, this is true, the road to Putrajaya is via Nusajaya, so to speak, but BN is not going to lose it)

The weakest part of PKR and Pakatan in general lies in its poor organisation and fighting spirit in Johor, as well as their lack of substantial support among the Malay society.
( Me - Tay, you keep repeating the word Pakatan, come on la, its DAP la. What? You don't want the Johor Malays to realise that voting for Pas and PKR is actually voting for DAP ka?)

That said, it will be the parties' strategies and real strengths that will eventually decide the final score.
(Me - OK, fine, I agree with this one, except that DAP may also win more seats due to Malays stupidity either it be among Umno, Pas or PKR)

Farewell Brown

Brown died peacefully in his sleep last night.

Rest in peace dear friend. Thanks for every thing.

My old dog

Just got back from the vet. My old dog is sick again. Yes, I have a dog, ok.

 The poor fella is 15 years old and is suffering from bronchitis of some sorts.

So, I am feeling a bit crabby today. Worried about my dog. The vet advised me to put him down but I told her to give my dog a chance for awhile more. Hopefully he will recover.

Arrived at the office a bit late and there are tonnes of work to do.

The papers and cyberspace are full of Umno stories.

Don't really feel like writing about them. Biggest reason was that I am dissapointed with Shahrizat. This was just a dream then -

Shahrizat can be the greatest Umno heroine ever

The election is around the corner....a bit tired whenever I think of that....Johor BN most likely going to lose some seats. Some Umno leaders are still stubborn and refuse to change. The component parties also have not yet gone all out to win back  the votes of the non-Malays. Some government agencies are even siding with the Pakatan people in harassing their pro-BN staff.

Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman may try his best, but he is not a superman. My prediction is that Johor will still be under BN but my beloved home state will be more racially polarised  after the election. Something like Sarawak.

ADDITIONAL
Ok, this posting is a tad sad....never mind....let me spice it up a bit.....

I am dedicating this song to all my friends in Irda. Don't be too tense ya bros and sis. Cheers.

Some lawyers and their boorish ways

This picture is that of a pot belly pig.

I know, I know, very offensive for the Muslims. No offence intended, really.

Just that I was surfing several websites just now and came across the picture. It immediately reminds me of a lawyer.

Never mind lah who that lawyer is....just that it look very much like her lah, at least to me la...well never mind....just me and my crazy thoughts.

Anyway, I am just curious, who do you think may look like that pig anyway? Look at the face carefully....

Ok, on to a more serious matter. Today a group of lawyers and their supporters marched to the Parliament house to protest against the Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011. Hmmmm....defenders of justice indeed.

One of them, a young Malay lawyer....(read his name somewhere just now, but can't remember....and too lazy to double check)....told the crowd that the protest got nothing to do with politics (I chuckled when I read that). He said they had drafted an alternative bill which took them just three days to complete....(hmmm, I think I can draft a bill of law as according to my whims and fancies in less than a day la).

They then marched (or rather stroll) from the nearby taman to the gate of Parliament and make some noise there. One of the leaders of the crowd was that lawyer whom I think looks like that pot belly pig. The pro-Pakatan Malaysiakini said there are more than 1,000 of them while the so-called pro-BN NST in its sms alert put their number at about 300.

All that while, the Bill was being debated in the Parliament. Several Pakatan MPs came out to fetch five people each allowed from the crowd to enter the compound.

Another group of people, identified as Malay NGOs members were also there in another crowd. They were taunting the lawyers by chanting "No free sex !" in obvious reference to the Bar Council's support for the cancelled free sex carnival which was supposed to be held earlier this month. No BN MP came out to fetch anyone from this crowd to enter the Parliament compound.

As I read through the report of this incident, my mind went back to those days when I was attending constitutional law lectures. I really hate the subject, by the way. Reading the thick books of fancy words always made me want to go to sleep.

Anyway, it teaches me about the concept of seperation of powers between the executive, legislature and judiciary. Legislature is the one which is our parliament la. And its duty is to make the law. Judiciary (the courts) is to inteperate the law while the executive (the gomen of the day) is to execute the law. Something like that la in layman terms. (Layman is ordinary man who is not an expert la, in case you don't know).

Sorry ya. My language is very layman. I had quit long time ago trying to impress people with high class words which I was thought at my law school. I find that using such words made me sound like a stuck-up asshole. Many lawyers whom I know however think that it made them sound intellectual. Well, everyone have their own fancies, ya.

But I do remember those basic principles of constitutional law which are the foundation of any democratic country. In this case - laws are to be made by parliament who is elected by the people. Not by some smart ass lawyers who enjoy marching and shouting in the sweltering heat of our equatorial sun in fancy suits.

Wonder how these lawyers had passed their constitutional law examination papers....basic stuff like that also cannot remember ka??? Or you all think just because you wear fancy suit makes people think you are so smart ka? That you can make the laws? Sheeesssshhhh, I call you boorish pigs you sure get angry pulak.

Never mind...the Peaceful Assembly Bill was passed anyway by the Parliament today. Cheers.

Hidup Melayu Bersatu

"Hidup Melayu Bersatu" is the title of a book by Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman

.

In conjunction with the Umno general assembly which starts  tomorrow, I am posting this poem by Ghani which was placed at the start of his book.

This is the most important Umno general assembly ever as the party prepares for the coming general election which I deemed as the most crucial for Umno since the fight against the Malayan Union.

This coming general election is a do or die fight for Umno. So, Umno people, read this poem carefully and WAKE UP!!!!

PERJUANGAN SEPANJANG HAYAT

Bersatulah bangsa ku, bersatu lah
Dihadapan sana menanti cabaran tak terjangkau
Ombak ribut taufan kan menyerang
Seperti sejarah silam yang telah memahatkan
Keruntuhan Melaka masa lalu
Dek kelemahan bangsaku

Ingatlah bangsaku
Hanya perpaduan menjadi benteng ampuh
Hanya perpaduan menjadi benteng ampuh
Hanya perpaduan menjadi benteng ampuh

Kejayaan bangsa dan negara selamanya
Ditegakkan dari tonggak perpaduan
Kerana perpaduanlah penjajah diusir berambus pergi
Kerana perpaduanlah kemerdekaan dicapai sebebas-bebasnya
Kerana perpaduanlah komunis dihapuskan keakar-akarnya
Kita lalu mendirikan sekolah, membina masjid, hospital
Gedung besar untuk kita kecapi bersama
Membangunkan ekonomi bangsa
Menukar rimba belantara menjadi kota besar
Kilang tersergam dimana-mana
Ladang menghijau hasil mahsulnya melimpah ruah
Pelabuhan dan jalan raya pun terbentang untuk semua
Anak-anak kesekolah dan universiti
Orang muda bertungkus lumus mengumpul rezeki
Yang tua hidup aman damai dirumah sendiri

Hanya perpaduan yang teguh, persatuan yang kukuh
Akan menyelamatkan bangsa daripada dihancurkan
Oleh onar dalam dan onar luar
Oleh oportunis dan pengkhianat yang licik
Menabur duri dan onar sepanjang jalan menuju wawasan besar kita

Maka ayuhlah kita menginsafi diri
Bahawa dikampung dan didesa dibandar dan juga dikota
Racun fitnah dan pembohongan telah disebar
Dan membangkitkan kebencian dan permusuhan
Percayalah semua ini telah disemai oleh tangan kita sendiri
Oleh bangsa sendiri yang telah lupa diri
Dan mabuk dalam nikmat kemakmuran
Dihasut dengki peribadi dan ketamakan diri
Telah berpecah belahlah bangsa kita
Dalam segenap bidang kehidupan
Dan sipetualang itu sedang merayau-rayau diudara
Sesekali melangkah kebumi sesekali meninggi keawan
Ada yang sedang bersembunyi dihutan subur kita
Ada yang sedang berlayar dilautan luas kita
Disungai-sungai bumi tanah air kita
Mereka sedang menunggu waktu terbaik
Untuk merampas dan menjarah apa yang kita nikmati

Inilah sumpah perjuangan untuk watan dan bangsa merdeka
Dan perjuangan untuk watan adalah perjuangan suci
Perjuangan ini adalah perjuangan sepanjang hayat
Dalam segala bidang keagamaan, keilmuan, ekonomi dan budaya
Dan maka perjuangan suci ini harus dihayati
Dan digerakkan oleh seluruh anak watan
Kerana perjuangan ini tanggungjawab semua

Bersatulah bangsaku, bersatulah
Sesat ditengah jalan, kita pulang kepermulaan langkah
Lupakan saja tamak haloba yang membuahkan dendam
Amarah, dengki, khianat, kesumat dan permusuhan
Yang berasa bersalah memohon ampun, dan kita maafkan
Yang tua dihormati, yang muda dikasihi

Bersatulah bangsaku, bersatulah
Ayuh kita berdiri teguh menentang
Segala cabaran dan rintangan
Jangan biarkan cita-cita besar kita kandas
Dan terjurumus kejurang maha gelap maha dalam itu
Percayalah, sesal kemudian tidak berguna apa-apa
Rumah nenek moyang kita bangunkan
Dari jerih perit perjuangan silam ini
Jangan dibiar terlepas ketangan orang lain
Dan disini hari ini, berjanjilah wahai bangsaku
Perjuangan ini perjuangan sepanjang hayat

Abdul Ghani Othman
Kembara Puisi Darul Ta'zim
Saujana, Johor Bahru

PKR bullshitting in Johor

Thought of not writing about the PKR convention in JB which ends today but then I happened to read this article in NST titled "PKR takes pre-polls campaign to Johor". It was written by Zubaidah Abu Bakar, the newspaper's leading political correspondent.

Too enticing lah, so here goes -

Zubaidah wrote that PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail told the 2,000 strong crowd of the party's new election pledges which include raising the minimum household income to RM4,000 in five years and return Felda to the settlers from the present management.

Zubaidah correctly pointed out that Dr Wan Azizah did not however detailed out how the party would implement those pledges. That one expected lah. Making promises very easy what. Give some details la Kak Wan, how to do all those wonderful stuff.

Then the article went on to explain that JB had been chosen as venue of the convention as a symbolic of PKR's intention and that of its allies Pas and the DAP, to break the BN's fortress of Johor.

"The party's  "show of strength" in launching the assault on Johor is believed to be part of the strategy to boost the morale of party members to face the mammoth BN machinery during the election campaign," wrote Zubaidah.

Hmmm....I am sitting in my office not that very far from Pulai Spring where the convention is being held but I don't see the "strength" being shown la. Well, never mind.... Oh, almost miss it - mammoth BN machinery? Where got la. Johor BN machinery is not so big...during the Tenang by-election, you can hardly saw them what.

"PKR began a weekend assault on Johor featuring Anwar and party leaders as speakers at night ceramahs in what is seen as attempts to deny the state from continuing to be fixed deposit for BN," wrote Zubaidah again.

Well, this nightly ceramah assaults were carried out in that small hamlet of Tenang to no effect la. This time they were assaulting the whole of Johor...uh uh, so drama. By the way, I wonder what were mentioned about Johor in those ceramah. Johor got big issue which can topple the BN State government meh? It was not mentioned in the article and I am not very keen to search the PKR websites for them...well, never mind....

"It is not impossible. Selangor was also a BN stronghold," Azmin Ali, the party deputy president was quoted as saying.  Also expressing confidence was party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail who said Pakatan can take over Johor, claiming that the current sentiment on the ground is similar to Perak and Selangor prior to Election 2008.

Wah! Really ka? If Azmin is confident, then he should come and contest in Johor la instead of sniping at PKR's Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim. Also, since Saifuddin said he know the sentiment on the ground in Johor, he should also join Azmin here in Johor.

Really, Johor PKR got no one to lead them. The fact that Chua Jui Meng, the MCA reject is leading the party in the State is really pathetic la.

They are totally dependant on DAP and Pas here to do the works. In fact, Chua, not knowing his place, already had a fight with Johor DAP boss Dr Boo Cheng Hau...so how? Can la Azmin and Saifuddin, come and contest in Johor. Sure win one liao.

Zubaidah said it is uncertain how the party had come to the conclusion that Pakatan can take over Johor; its calculations were probably based on the sentiment of the Chinese in other parts of the country, which remain against the ruling BN. Hmmm....no la Zubaidah, they know they cannot win in Johor. That one they just simply said so that their people will not know that they are just lame ducks in Johor.

Shahrizat can be the greatest Umno heroine ever

It's that season again - political parties gearing up for the general election.

PKR big wigs are at the moment gathering in JB. I was told that they find it hard to get a place to hold their convention in Johor but insisted to have it there after considering that Johor is the main Pakatan's target for the coming general election - which is most likely to be held  before the end of the first quarter next year.

Anyway, guess there will be lots of stories about Anwar and his fans over the course of the convention in the newspapers and cyberspace. So, I don't feel that I need to write about them. Btw, Pakatan's dream to capture Johor is not going to be a reality anyway. The most they can hope for is to get as much electoral seats as possible - and that will mostly go to DAP, a bit to PKR....and nothing for Pas. Really, Pas will play the crucial role of breaking the Johor Malay votes but they are not likely to win any seat in the State this time around. I had explained it here -

Fortress Johor Part 3 : BN's Achilles' heel

Umno general assembly is also coming within the next few days. There were some curtain raiser stories and commenteries in the newspapers. Mostly about how Umno people will be focusing on preparing for the general election during the assembly. Of course la, what else they want to talk about.

There is this piece in NST today about Wanita Umno written by M. HUSAIRY OTHMAN AND AZURA ABAS.

Ok la, can read one, but this small headline is a bit off la - "Movement’s Skuad Sayang effective in bringing in votes". I have seen this squad in action and I was not very impressed. The name is also a bit stupid. Well, at least in my opinion la. Honestly, I prefer the old Wanita Umno's way of doing thing under Rafidah - was more makchik-makchik but also more robust and effective.

The article started with this -  "WANITA Umno is, indeed, a picture of calm.   Two years after a heated contest for its top leadership post, which saw incumbent Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz losing out to her deputy, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul  Jalil, Wanita Umno  seems to have left the past behind and moved on."
Really? Could have fooled me there. Hmmmmm.....

Then it quoted the movement's Putrajaya chief Saadiah Bakar as admitting that the movement is adopting a low- key profile but "raring to go and face the general election.” Than it go on and on about how Wanita Umno should carry itself with the election round the corner.

Then came the more exciting part - the National Feedlot Corporation issue.

 “This issue has been blown out of context. It does not involve Shahrizat directly, but her husband. She is  being dragged into it by the opposition,:" said  Federal Territory Wanita Umno information chief Hairunnisha Bivee Asm Ismail.

“Any discontent about anything or anyone must be put aside for the time being as there is a proper time and place to raise it."

Hmmm....trying to protect your boss ka? Never mind lah, thats understood.

Actually, if Shahrizat and the gang can think out of the box - they will see the NFC issue as a great opportunity for Wanita Umno to help BN win in style in the coming general election.

Just imagine this - there is a great debate at the Wanita assembly over the issue, then, Shahrizat, during her winding-up speech started crying on the podium and tell everyone that she feel guilty about the whole thing and tendered her resignation from all party and government posts. Of course the Wanita delegates will cry along with her and pleaded for her to stay but she instead remain adamant.

"I am not guilty, but for the sake of Umno, I insist on resigning from my posts as we can't afford even the perception of guilt among the people as we prepare for the general election. THIS IS MY SACRIFICE!!!!" shouted Shahrizat from the podium.

Wah! I tell you...the effect will be fantastic man. Finally, an Umno leader showing true integrity and willingness.to sacrifice her personal interests for AGAMA, BANGSA DAN NEGARA.

A message from a Chinese school graduate

The following is an e-mail I received this morning. I post it here for those who do not have the privilege of knowing anyone who had studied in a Chinese school to understand why those schools are close to the Chinese community's heart -  

I'm a chinese school graduate all the way from primary school to uni in taiwan. I'm now working for the gomen. Hopefully my experience can help to clear some misconceptions about chinese schools and their graduates.

1. Chinese school graduates are all chinese chauvinists or communists 


- saying that is just like saying that all muslims are terrorists. Not true and not fair. 


2. Chinese schools (I'm talking about secondary education here, not primary) are rich


 - Not all chinese schools are rich just like not all chinese are rich and not all malays are poor.

And those rich schools are rich, not because the money falls from the sky or they inherit pots of gold from their ancestors. 

Do you know that chinese high schools are registered as non-profit organisations instead of schools? Meaning to say we have to find money to pay for all the opex and capex. The ministry of education doesn't pay for the opex of chinese schools, like how they take care of the national schools. See it this way - chinese schools are NGOs, fund raising is a all year round exercise, just like any other NGOs.  

When I was a student many many years ago, we had to help the school to raise funds to pay for the electricity bills, salary of the teachers etc. As students, we would usually go in groups and knock on every single door in town (sometime we will also go outstation), trying to sell the so call "golden brick", which was in fact just a gold colour wooden block, in order to raise some funds to sustain our schools.

The significance of the brick is that every household contributed to the building of the schools, so every brick used in the school actually represents the hard earned money of the contributors - who come from all walk of lives. 

If I remember correctly, each brick represents probably an amount of only RM1 to RM5. So if you contribute enough, you probably can have a classroom, a library or a building named after you. That's why you will always see names around in almost every corners of the chinese schools, for these people contributed to building the schools. 

This was how, brick by brick, chinese schools were built.

Let me present my mother as a typical example of such contributors. They are not hardcore chauvinist or fervent communist. They are just normal people who feel that chinese school are doing good for the community, so ought to be supported. 

My mom was not rich, just like most of the other contributors, most was not rich at all. She was a hawker selling Char Kuey Teow in a small municipal market in a small town in southern johor. The stall had been around for generations. She had on the wall full of thank-you plates from the chinese school because every year, without fail since my grandfather set up the stall decades ago, there would be a day when all business proceeds go to the school. In fact, you will find such thank-you plates all over the hawker centre because almost every stall would do the same, every year. Mind you, these are all small stalls and these people are definitely not rich. Yet they did it happily - I've never heard anyone ever complaint about having to donate money to the chinese schools.

What amazed me most is that some of the stall owners do not have children studying in chinese schools. Most of them sent their children to the so-called gomen schools because chinese schools are deemed as expensive elite education in the community. 

To go to chinese high school, parents had to pay about RM20 per month which was considered quite a big sum many years ago. I still remembered when I told my mom that I want to study in Chinese highschool instead of going to gomen secondary school, she just plainly reject me because our family just can't afford it (yet she donated to the school every year!!!). Eventually she let me go because I sat for the entrance examination and won a scholarship to study there - I didn't need to pay school fees for the next six years. 

If I may add, my mother didn't just donate to the chinese school, she also pay taxes , all the required bills and also donated to other NGOs including muslim orphanages. 

3. Chinese school graduates have poor command of bahasa / english

Not true, as not all chinese school graduates have poor command of language - just like not all malays are bad in maths.

I don't speak perfect english with an british accent and people always laugh at my bahasa and say that I'm cina bukit. But I never regret going to chinese school - I'm proud of being one actually - because of the education I received, I am able to have multiple language skills that allows me to communicate with different spectrum of communities in malaysia and of course, I always believe that being exposed in a variety of cultures and traditions make me see things in a more balanced and objective manner, which is a definitely a big plus.

4. Chinese schools destablelise the country and create fractions by segregating the children from young age

Selfish politicians are the main cause of all the above. Pls don't use chinese schools as scapegoat. One school system can't solve the problem if we don't fix the system to provide better quality education - then things will only be worse.

Ok, let's say you put in a one school system and eliminated the chinese school - but the quality of education still as bad, what will happen? Parents will send their kids to private or internationals schools, which is already happening now. So, fix the school system, good quality education will automatically attract the mass. If you were a parent, would you want to spend thousands sending your kids to private schools if the gomen education is just as good, and free! No you won't - only stupid chinese parents will do that to support their beloved chinese schools...

-end-


This is an addition - a video clip, for those who has never been to a Chinese school - just on teachers and students at Foon Yew 4, JB

Leave the Chinese schools out of it

NSTP e-media managing editor Datuk Zainul Ariffin Mat Isa in his column in NST today suggested for the creation of an education commission to look into possible ways to revamp the country's education system.

He said the commissioners, appointed by the Yang diPertuan Agong may do a better job at finding ways to improve things compared to politicians who have all these while been mired in, well, politics of course.

Zainul pointed out that our education system is most problematic to manage due to the constant need to find common ground due to its  fragmented and varied nature.

There are the national schools, vernacular schools, missionary schools and religious schools.

"Some parents, especially those who can afford it, who are  unhappy with the current situation and hanker for the educational system and values of the days of old, are moving their kids to private or international schools," said Zainul.

"Some migrate, while others got their children out of the system by homeschooling them."

Zainul posed a question on what is to become of the national education agenda if changes were not made.

"The consequences of the current system, never intended, but arisen, nevertheless, include allegations of poor soft skills, poor mastery of English  and the lack of sporting excellence," he added.

Well, personally, I feel that Zainul made the suggestion for the setting-up of the commission out of frustration. There seems to be at the moment no viable solution to what was seen as deteriorating quality of our education system. That is, despite the government spending almost 40 per cent of its annual budget for the schools.

I also suspect that Zainul, from the way he wrote the article, is a supporter of the idea for a single school system and in an indirect way was proposing for that idea as a solution.

My own take is that, the proposed commission will not be able to solve the problem and that a single school system will never become a reality, well, at least not in my life time.

It is clear that the reality on the ground these days clearly indicates that the setting-up of commissions does not really solve any problem. They can discuss, formulate and decide all they want, but the problems will always remain. Remember all those Royal Commissions and how they failed to change public perceptions?

The culprit - well, as usual, is politics of course.

Will a single school system solve the problem? I don't think so either.

In the first place, when we said our education system is in trouble, which one is in trouble, actually? Do you all hear anything about this from the Chinese educationists?

Whether we like it or not, we have to accept the fact that those Chinese and Indian schools are here to stay.

Especially the Chinese schools. They are part of the Chinese community's soul.

Bear in mind that most of the established Chinese schools are RICH. And they are not complaining. Their enrollment is also soaring.

If there were any real complaint coming from them, it is that their Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) being not yet recognized by the country's education authorities. Still, it is not truly a big deal as Chinese school students can still enroll at universities across the world. That has always been the case all these years.

I bet that Zainul and other proponents of a single school system do not have anyone close to them who studied in Chinese schools from Standard One till Form Five and then proceeded to further their studies at a Chinese university in China or Taiwan. I mean, someone like that who are really close to them and whom they can talk to with full honesty about the possibility of closing down the Chinese schools in favour of a single type of school for all children.

Well, if they do, they would know that their friends from the Chinese schools will fight them all the way.

I understand why the alumni of these Chinese schools will never tolerate any idea of closing their schools. In fact, you can offer them the moon and the sun and I am quite confident that they will not budge.

These schools were built and developed largely through contributions by the Chinese community themselves over the decades. Everyone chipped in, from big time towkeys to hawkers and housewives as well as even gangsters.

I had even heard of stories that in the early days when the Chinese came to this country as mine and plantation workers, even the girls, who were tricked into working in the brothels made a regular collection among themselves to contribute to the schools.

For someone who had studied in a Chinese school, to agree to close down the schools is simply akin to betraying their heritage.

Honestly, I am not familiar with the Indian schools, but if the Chinese schools stay, they will want to stay too, despite their situation being even worse than the national schools.

It is therefore incumbent for those who want to improve the education system to be in touch with the reality on the ground.

They need to know what actually needed to be fixed.

Do not simply assume a solution based on one's prejudices and without knowing the true picture of the various school systems that exist in this country.

If the national schools are the one facing the problems, then focus should be given to them. It is easier that way than having a commission trying to figure out what is wrong and making recommendations without any authority to implement them. By the way, how are we to make sure such a commission will be free of politics or perceptions that it is politically tainted.

Anyway, all that aside, I don't think those smart people at the Education Ministry were totally clueless as to what ails the national schools. I even believe that they know what are the solutions. For me, it is just a question of whether those in charge have the political will to do the necessary.

Note: For additional info about my stand on Chinese schools -
My favourite Chinese school

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