The tenacity of the Malaysian Chinese schools

The perpetual struggles, persecutions, intimidations and challenges faced by the Chinese schools in Malaysia. Through it all, the stakeholders persevere to overcome all these obstacles to provide a quality education for our children sake. These human capital can compete globally with their multi-lingual literacy and skills.

How the Board of Trustees Make Vernacular Schools a Success...

The Denial:

The education or language nationalists don't want to touch on the real reason why vernacular schools seem to have higher quality: Accountability through the independent board of trustee system.

The Rejection:

Vernacular schools are essentially semi-private schools. They have had the gut to stand up against the Ministry of Education, and refused to let MOE have full control over the school land and building - especially the front lines of canteens and bookstores.

The Source of Anger:

That is very upsetting to the UMNO-controlled MOE, because then UMNO's local division chiefs' cronies can't get into the expensive business of selling questionable quality milk and stuff for perpetual profit in a neighbouring school near you. They also can't go secure huge contracts from MOE that costs 3-4 times needed to build and expand on these lands and buildings.

The Retaliation:

The UMNO-controlled MOE retaliates by refusing to pay for the capex - everything to do with more classroom, furniture, buildings, staffroom, toilet, fencing, sports facilities, utility, infrasturcture, etc. Naturally.

MOE still pays for the personnel - or else it would have even less leverage over the headmasters, admin and teachers. It wouldn't have been able to summon these staff to time-wasting, brainwashing, school-intefering, multi-day, seminars that cost another set of bombs to stage.

The Hardship:

So for their "recalcitrance," MOE makes sure the vernacular schools are the poor cousins in national education system - often having to beg for left over old desks, and chairs, etc, from nearby national schools where individual administrators are often very gracious to give.

Having refused them the capex, MOE also skims on the non-personnel operating expenses, such as for electricity, copiers, etc. Where some is provided, it is often indirectly via the completely unreliable crony contractors, such as for "security" guards service that are really insecure.

Then why do vernacular schools hold out?

Fortunately, by refusing to give up school land and building to MOE (unlike the well-intended but more naive missionary schools that did not insist on this), the vernacular schools got to keep their board of directors or trustees.

This is a crucial governance tool:

When there's a need for more capital expenditure, where school building expansion is constantly needed (wonder why) - the schools have had to turn to the board of directors to raise the funds. (The nationalists' most-hated NGO Dongzhong is their umbrella organization). It's always hard to raise money.

The accountability:

These board of trustees have to go yearly to the local communities to raise funds, to beg - one way or another - to promise quality, accountability, performance, more responsive teachers, better discipline, moral standards, safety, better traffic flow despite the hugely distorted student body ... in short everything good in education ....

They have to deliver on these promises to the local sponsoring businesses, hawkers, parents, beer companies, religious bodies, ... basically all stakeholders. For example, part of the money raised during the ghost season which noise annoys you so much always go to a local vernacular school. Often also part of the money you contribute to a funeral wake. (Is there a better model for local accountability and transparency in education?).

The personality:

These members of board of directors can be brash and confident - they have to - to take responsibility, do marketing, protect the head master/mistress from more MOE meddling, etc. Their independent characters grate on the MOE but they get things done. They guard the school like it is their own garden, to grow, to bloom. It is often their remaining purpose in life. They are accomplished business people who know how to grow things - business and people.

The motivation:

They do this for what? Because that is often the highest purpose in life for them - often doing it out of respect for their own deceased parents - who probably nagged them more than a few times: Son, if you can, when you can, make sure to improve our schools for the children.

The result:

Here you have it - The board of directors or trustees system - the decentralized power structure that the nationalists don't want to highlight in case you also ask for it. That is why Mahathir and others hate them so much. (By programming the media to hate DJZ automatically, they stop you from seeing how the educational system can be cleaned up and improved.) Yet they accomplish so much.

You do not know what joy and ecstasy is like until you are freed from the yolk of ISIS

Ecstatic Syrian civilians have been shaving off their beards, burning their burqas, smoking and dancing in the streets after being freed from Isis.

The jubilant celebrations were seen in the Syrian city of Manbij on Friday, where militants have been driven out after months of fighting by US-backed rebel groups.

Families ran through rubble-strewn streets, past the ruins of buildings destroyed in air strikes, carrying their babies and belongings.

[Read rest of article, and video here]

The table tennis teams at the 2016 Rio Olympics

Unbelievable, but it is true.  Whether the teams are from USA, Germany, Austria, Spain, Canada, Congo, Netherlands, Ukraine, Brazil, Australia, Poland, Turkey, Qatar, Sweden or Luxembourg, the players are all CHINESE.

Are we seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in our judiciary system?

Khairuddin Hanuddin:
Appeals court: No one should be afraid of criticising government

The public should not be afraid to talk about government and public officers’ conduct, says the Court of Appeal.

In a 31-page written judgment by Court of Appeal Judge Justice Idrus Harun, in the case of Pahang Menteri Besar Adnan Yaacob suing Utusan Melayu for defamation, he noted the people should discuss their government and public officials’ conduct without being subjected to civil actions for their opinion.

“We consider that as one of the fundamental principles, that in the exercise of the right to such freedom within the ambit of the Federal Constitution and related laws, the people should have the right to discuss their government and the officials in carrying out their duties.

“Such right to talk has been enshrined under Article 10(1)(a) of the Constitution, without any common law principle being applied.”

Idrus also said that any actions taken against individuals who voiced out their criticisms was against the public interest and would affect the fundamental liberties of a person.

“As public interest dictates, a democratically elected government and officers should be subjected to criticism and every responsible citizen should not be restrained in their opinions on the government’s affairs and administration.”

The panel, which also consisted of Justice Rohana Yusof and Justice Mary Lim, suggested that the Derbyshire principle, which rules that those holding office in public bodies like local authorities cannot sue in their official capacity, should be applied and be adopted in the country’s defamation laws.

“The English court’s decision, in our opinion, is no less valid and should be applied and be part of our defamation laws.

“It has a similar principle related to our freedom of speech under the Constitution and that public interest does not favour the right of government and its officers to sue for libel,” Idrus said.

It is refreshing to see some judges are still upholding the law and liberty in this country. Sad that the same can’t be said about their fraternity brother in the AG chambers..

Study: Chinese schools may be main schools in 10 years

With the current trend of lopsided enrolment in school along racial lines, this may yet become a reality.

Back in the early 90s, when I was attached with a bank, I was invited by the Headmistress of a premier girls school in the Klang Valley to give her Form 5 Commerce students a talk on banking as a career. 

Since I was early, I was given a tour of the premise, and to my utter surprise, I noticed that each classroom had no less than ten Malay girls studying in it.  They were giving their presentations in Mandarin in front of the class, writing calligraphy and in the cafeteria, there were students with their Chinese friends discussing their lessons together.  What a contrast from national type schools where groups along racial lines were more apparent.

I was told to give my talk in English and this was part of the plan preparing the students for the real world, communication in English, and all Qs and As addressed to me after the talk were to be in English too.  No Mandarin, no BM.

According to the Headmistress, the school was facing a 10% incremental increase of bumi students to the school each year and they were trying their best to cope, especially the provision of facilities like prayer rooms, halal food, etc.

The following report, therefore, came as no surprise.

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A two-year research carried out by the National Education Advisory Council reveals that in 10 years, Chinese schools may turn into mainstream schools.

They may even replace national schools and are likely to be more multiracial, as the number of Malay parents registering their children stands at 18 per cent this year.

Recently retired council member Prof Dr Teo Kok Seong said national schools registered only four per cent non-Malay students while the Chinese schools had 18 per cent non-Chinese students.

“These numbers (in Chinese schools) are expected to go up each year. Our research shows these vernacular schools, within 10, years are likely to become the mainstream schools as more non-Chinese parents are refusing to sign up their kids in national schools,” he told FMT.

He was asked to comment on the preferred choice of education and schools for parents registering their children.

He said the Education Ministry’s 2013-2025 Education Blueprint target of attracting more Chinese and Indian students to national schools was likely to fail by 2025 as their research showed more parents were planning to register their children in vernacular or private schools.

The study carried out by the 13-member council made up of educationists, corporate figures and former top-level education department officers, listed five main reasons keeping middle and upper income parents away from national schools.

The first was poor teaching and delivery methods by the teachers; second, the administration of national schools was dominated by one race; third, the schools were seen as being too Islamic; fourth, disciplinary issues were seen as a major problem; and finally, some schools were not maintained well, with outdated computers.

He said recommendations were made to allow teachers who were good in a particular subject to be appointed head of the subject so that the teacher would be able to guide other teachers well.

“For instance, if an Indian teacher is good in English, that teacher should be heading that unit. But instead, preference is given to someone else who is not capable of guiding others. It is the same with a school’s principal. The head of the school should be someone who is most capable to run a school.
“There should not be preference according to a race. Parents just want someone who is capable of teaching and disciplining their kids. If this can be done, the government will be able to regain confidence and attract more non-Malays into national schools.”

He said there was a constant clash between Muslim and non-Muslim parents. He said following several forums organised by the council, they found that Muslim parents felt there was not enough teaching of Islam in national schools while non-Muslim parents were not in favour of having religious recitations during the school assembly.

Teo, a professor at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, said non-Muslim parents were uncomfortable with audio recordings reciting religious songs during the school assembly.

“There is a constant tug-of-war on this issue, causing many non-Muslim parents to send their children to Chinese schools or to private schools. It is a sensitive issue and there seems to be no end to the discussion between parents.”

As for Malay parents, they were concerned about the quality of education. “They are concerned that national school teachers are not putting in their best for their child’s education. They are concerned their child might not be able to catch up with the fast moving world.”

He said most of the Malay parents wanted their children to excel in mathematics and loved the up-to-date computer and sports facilities offered at Chinese schools. “They know their children are in good hands.”

In March this year, President of the Association of Former Elected Representatives (Mubarak) Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman told a news portal that national schools had become de facto Malay schools, and that this hampered the fostering of unity among races.

He said there were only Malays in these schools and labelled national schools Malay secondary schools.

[Source: FMT]

Loretta Lynch, the lady who publicly reported on the 1MDB scandal. Who is she?

The Attorney-General of the United States, Loretta Lynch is a graduate from Harvard Law School whereas, Apandi , the Malaysian AG is a third-grade law graduate from New Zealand -what a difference!!!

Loretta Elizabeth Lynch (born May 21, 1959) is the 83rd and current Attorney General of the United States, having previously served as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Her tenure as U.S. Attorney began in 2010, and she also held that position from 1999 to 2001. As U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Lynch oversaw federal prosecutions in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island.

Lynch graduated from Harvard Law School in 1984. She then practiced law in New York and became a federal prosecutor in 1990, rising to become head of the Eastern District office. She later returned to private law practice, until she again became the top district prosecutor. From 2003 to 2005, she served on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

On November 8, 2014, President Barack Obama nominated her to succeed Eric Holder as Attorney General.[1] On February 26, 2015, the Judiciary Committee of the United States Senate confirmed her appointment by a 12–8 vote, with all Democrats of the committee and three Republicans in favor. 

On April 23, 2015, Lynch was confirmed by the Senate by a 56–43 vote, making her the first African-American woman and the second woman to be confirmed for the position. She was sworn in as Attorney General on April 27, 2015, by Vice President Joe Biden. [WIKIPEDIA]

Uh oh, more in the offing?

PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli is planning to expose what he terms as "another outrageous financial scandal" to hit the nation.

"Wait and see," the Pandan lawmaker tweeted, adding that he expected to be arrested again over this issue.

Responding to one user, who asked him if the new revelation concerned a "fund, company, cows, goats or ducks", Rafizi replied: "Ha3 (laughter) you tunggu (wait). But outrageous enough. I think people will be angry."

The PKR leader also joked about how despite being arrested frequently, he has failed to shed weight.
Rafizi said that he would write to renown ulama (religious scholars) around the world, provide them with the background of the scandal and request a fatwa (religious edict).

"It is time to issue a fatwa on corruption," he added.

To another user who asked him to let someone else release the details in order to avoid the heat, Rafizi, who is currently in London, cited two reasons to explain why this is not possible.

"Because (1) media may not cover it; issue of credibility, (2) they will come down hard on newbie (who exposes the scandal," he said.

Contacted later, Rafizi declined to elaborate on the scandal for now.

On a separate matter, the PKR leader also took a jibe at Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang, who is often critical of DAP and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

He said a campaign should be launched to persuade Gerakan to field Tan, whom he described as the party’s "hero No 1", to contest against Lim if a snap polls is called in Penang.

[Source : Mkini]