An Education System Worthy of Malaysia #6
Chapter 1: A Pre-emptive Strike (Cont’d)
Education in the Era of Globalization
Globalization is bringing the world closer. With the coming together of the global community, there is an imperative for a common language. By default, English is that language. Why English and not Chinese is an interesting question. In terms of the number of native speakers, more people speak Chinese. Nonetheless the market has spoken, and English is now the most widely spoken. Trying to explain why English and not Chinese is like trying to explain why VHS format is favored over Beta for videotapes, and personal computers over Apple.
Undoubtedly, had the native English-speaking countries of America and Britain been third-rate economic powers, that language would not have been widely accepted. The current impetus to improve the English proficiency of Malaysians is because senior civil servants and diplomats are severely handicapped in dealing with international organizations and when negotiating international agreements. Malaysia’s interests would not be protected if her negotiators and diplomats do not understand the basic language, much less the nuances.
Malaysia is handicapped because of its British colonial past. Malaysians are rightly leery of anything English. Thus current attempts at improving the English proficiency of students are viewed with deep suspicion as yet another subtle manifestation of the colonial mentality.
No amount of rational explanation seems capable of overcoming this deep suspicion. In this regard the Indonesians have an advantage. Although they too had been colonized, it was by the Dutch. Thus the Indonesians do not harbor the same suspicion towards English.
In truth the future does not belong to the English speakers rather those who are fluent in English and another language; next would be those who speak only English; and the least advantaged would be those who speak only other than English. The Europeans have known this for along time. Speakers of English are handicapped as their language is widely spoken they have little incentive to learn another language. America is awakening to this fact and is now encouraging its students to be bilingual. Being fluently bilingual means more than simply knowing two languages, it offers other cognitive and intellectual advantages.
With globalization the world needs a common standard. This makes sense. We should expect that Chinese pilots be deemed equally competent as American ones so they could land their jet at any airport.
With better and open communications, Malaysians are fully aware of what is going on in the rest of the world. Malaysians would want for themselves and their families the same standard and quality of medical care and education as available elsewhere. When they cannot get that locally or if they deem that the quality of local services is not up to par, they will leave. Every year thousands of Malaysians go abroad for their medical care and education, costing the nation billions in lost foreign exchange. With such matters as health care, education, and personal consumption, nationalism plays a minimal role. Malaysians go to Britain for such matters simply because they perceive they would get better services there, ex-colonialist notwithstanding.
The king flew to Singapore to have his pacemaker inserted, and the wife of the Deputy Prime Minister went to Los Angeles for treatment of her breast cancer. She spoke glowingly of her treatment by American physicians. Despite her husband’s Islamic credentials, she had no qualms about being examined by infidel and male doctors. Beyond a certain level you do not care about religious scruples or nationalism, you just want the best for yourself and your loved ones.
When Malaysia built the Petronas TwinTowers, it unhesitatingly employed many skilled foreigners. If Malaysians ever want to participate in such projects not only in Malaysia but also elsewhere, they too must have internationally recognized training and qualifications.
Malaysians must now assess themselves by international yardsticks. Malaysian schools and universities must be cognizant of this. Their graduates must, at a minimum, be bilingual in Malay and English, science literate, and mathematically competent. Anything less would be doing the students, and the nation, a great disservice.
In the modern economy wealth resides less with the natural resources or the strategic location of a country, more with its people. As the UN Human Development Report 2001 states, “People are the real wealth of nations.”
Malaysia is proud of its Petronas Twin Towers that grace the skyline of its capital. That monument symbolizes the country’s preoccupation with building things physical and material. But the most important infrastructure of the new millennium will be human resources, and the twin pillars to developing that would be education and health. Prime Minister Mahathir never fails to take visitors to see his pride and joy, The Twin Towers. Would it not be nice if our schools and universities too were of such eminence that foreigners would want to visit them?
February 9th, 2006 at 2:02 am
Nice post here M Bakri… I see that now you are focusing on English…
Tell you what… why not make everybody in forms 1-3 read Jane Austen. I strongly feel that her six books are good enough to make the standard of English among our secondary schoolers shoot up to the roof… If this is not sufficient… then perhaps reading Emily Bronte would do the trick…..of course I can suggest many more of the 19th century English authors…
Ok.. now I have some philosophical doubts about the raison d’etre of your blog…
You see… many people predict doom and gloom for Malaysia. And many explicitly (like you) or implicitly suggest ways to get out of this conundrum.
But… will Malaysia… go down the tubes…so to speak….???? Let me focus on the US of A.. since this is the only first rate super power today…..
How many of folks out there have watched Wall Street (Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen) and Black Rain (Michael Douglas + Andy Garcia + Yusaku Matsuda)….????
In those films one cannot escape the doom and gloom message… yea…. America will go down the tubes as in the 1980s the big companies are more interested in playing M&A games rather than producing goods and services like the Japanese…the American executives worship greed (Greed is God)…. and hey.. the cops are so corrupt to the core… look at Nick Conklin (M. Douglass) in Black Rain…
So in Malaysia… the govt is inefficient….. the NEP is holding back full utilization of human resources…and many many many more problems keep coming……
And…. And… the education sector is going down hill…. Oh… the standard of English is worsening….. and what else….
Hey… I remembered in the late 1980s and early 90s…some folks made comparisons of how lousy the American education system compared to the Japanese and (West) German….
Well…. I wonder what will these people say right now…..
Messengers of doom and gloom… where will you be if your predictions fail to materialise?
I mean what will happen to the doom prophets in 10 or 20 years time if Malaysia continues to prosper despite all the problem she is facing right now….
February 9th, 2006 at 2:04 am
M Bakri,
Sorry for the double posting… I was typing at such a fast rate…… and the fonts in your blog is so small……
February 9th, 2006 at 9:06 am
Aiyahhh…more rubbish!
LJ
February 9th, 2006 at 6:09 pm
Dr Bakri says:
‘In the modern economy wealth resides less with the natural resources or the strategic location of a country, more with its people. As the UN Human Development Report 2001 states, “People are the real wealth of nations.” ‘
Kgboy says:
“The cocoon of the moth is securely bound by the silk it had earlier woven itself (the caterpillar) in to protect the larvae from external harm while it metamorhosized. However, it (the cocoon) also makes it difficult for the emerging newly developed creature to crawl out of its once protective home.
It is the nature of man with kindness in his heart to offer assistance to the weak or presumed weak. Seeing the moth struggling out of its cocoon, the man could not resist helping this “poor” creature. He tore the cocoon apart to usher the moth into the new world, before the moth could go through the normal process where its creator has intended for it to go through as one of the required phases of life. The man had expected the moth to be grateful and fly away gleefully. Alas, the moth limply fell to the ground unable to spread its wings. It struggled on the ground with its wings crumpled and slowly faded and died. This tragedy is the result of just one short of the required processes of its insect life.
The man could not understand why. Instead of helping the moth, he has caused the young moth to perish prematurely. What he could not understand is that the moth is supposed to struggle and break through its own cocoon such that during the intended struggle, insect blood from its body would be pushed through the capillaries of its wings and force the long folded wings to spread and as a result creating the taught ness of its membranes such as to allow it to be airborne.
Another commonly seen biological process intended by our Creator is the process of muscle building. Any bodybuilder would understand that in order to build muscles and strength, he needs to work on the muscles. Work required expenditure of energy. Work is force multiply by distance traveled. Force to a body builder is the load of the weights. His muscles would gradually grow bigger and stronger as he chalks up reps with the weights that he lifts.
Similarly, any scholar would tell you that his mental muscles would multiply in proportion to the mental challenges he encounters or chooses to encounter in the process of life.
In pretty much the same fashion, a father has to endure the pain of seeing his son fall from the bicycle in the process of learning how to ride the bicycle. It is also not uncommon to see a father cry many a tears in his heart to punish their children when they stray, and bleed in his heart to allow their children to bear the brunt of their mistakes in life such as to nurture an future exemplary adult.
I believe education is not much dissimilar to the processes of life above.”
Are the leaders of todays educational system the product of moths with assisted deliveries? Are we continuing with assisted deliveries to deliver more of such products?
There is a belief that wealth do not pass the third generation. Are Malaysians going into third generation or are some going straight from first generation to third generation without going through the second generations? Can we assume that thrid workers a much less productive than first and generation?
I would submit to enlightenment by people with relevant statistics to answer the questions above.
February 9th, 2006 at 6:12 pm
Sorry,
thrid workers a much …….. third generation workers are much
February 9th, 2006 at 8:21 pm
Dr bakri says:
“Malaysians must now assess themselves by international yardsticks”
I thought we did. We compared ourselves with the likes of Ghana and other third world countries and we came out tops. It made us feel good and strengthened our belief of Malaysia Boleh. Way to go Barisan Nasional
February 10th, 2006 at 3:45 am
Jan,
Don’t be naive. This is our problem today. We use benchmarks that make us look better than we really are. We are losers in the end if we continue to delude ourselves. Let us compare oursleves to an undiscovered and barren land with nothing on it. We would look even better. Why Ghana? Don’t insult the Ghanians, as they are smarter than we think. Maybe they are even less corrupt than us. At least, they do not pretend about it.
Some times, when a western is critical of our education and culture, we call him an orientalist as if to ape the late Dr. Edward Said. When some people like Dr. Bakri and Din Merican (what happened to him?) make constructive comments, they are regarded as anti-Establishment and and traitors to their kind. As a result, we are just “jaguh kampong” and we remain that way until we learn to accept criticisms and make serious attempts to correct our policy failures and weaknesses.
What is really wrong with our country? We are being led by a Mr Clean who is himself is far from clean. Just look at what his brother, his sister-in-law, his son-in-law and his son are doing. All he can say is that “I don’t know”. He is either stupid (obviously not; in fact, we are more stupid for giving him such a resounding mandate in the last elections), or a hypocrite. Take your pick.
February 10th, 2006 at 4:40 am
Actually Najib was the one who compared Malaysia with Ghana as we were granted independence at about the same time. I guess the DPM was trying to find something good to say about our country and he must be scraping the barrel trying to find one. Anyway I strongly feel this country is being run by a bunch of incompetents led by the most useless leader the country ever had.
February 10th, 2006 at 4:43 am
Dear Ex-MU and Jan,
I agree.
We must benchmark ourselves against established standards so that we do not mislead and lull ourselves into a state of complacency. We can always improve in whatever we do, that is what I mean by the word “kemajuan/progress”. Nothing stays the same.
We have to think outside the box, reconfigure, innovate, and be better than the competition in the region and around the globe. Success depends increasingly on speed, agility, adaptability, and flexibility. We have to be like the cougar, the fastest in its family, not political “fat cats” of course. We need to hone in our sense of survival and be constantly in a challenge-response mode. Most of all, we need to believe in ourselves and that we can achieve our goals. “Malaysia Boleh” must not merely be a slogan, but should be embedded in our national and individual psyche.
There is a reason why I have refrained from making comments on this respected webblog and elsewhere of late. Having said all that I needed to say at this time, I have nothing useful to add on the present state of our economy, our country, and the quality of our political leadership (there are few exceptions, as in all things). I am waiting to see what is in store in the Ninth Malaysian Plan (2006-2010).
We are told that our PM is very busy with its preparation. This is going to be his legacy, and I hope we will not be disappointed. Frankly, I am not very excited if he seeks to return to the ideas of the 1970s with its emphasis on rural development and agriculture. If the NEP/NDP, under a new label called NNA, is to be extended, all Malaysians are entitled to know the reasons for it and how the Government proposes to go about it. It cannot be more of the same with a “mana aku punya” (what’s in it for me) mind-set.
The emphasis in the Plan in my humble opinion should be on intellectual capital formation. Education in science, mathematics and information technology is the foundation. Human capital is a prerequsite for sustainable economic development. This also means mastery of English, while we learn our National Language(this is being a given for any Malaysian). In this regard, I find that the ideas and suggestions made by Dr. Bakri Musa in his book merit serious consideration by those whose job it is to fix our education system.
Thanks.
Thank you.
February 10th, 2006 at 8:40 am
Bro Din,
The nation somewhat appears to have regressed and I am, too, keeping my fingers crossed on how Pak Lah will fare in pronouncing the 9th Malaysian Plan. The reviews of late do not seem encouraging. I agree with you that the focus should definitely be different from that of the 1970s and hopefully Pak Lah could see the wisdom of it.
February 10th, 2006 at 11:22 am
Dear Amit and Din:
Amit: You make many excellent observations. Yes, we should make our students read the classics. Further, to improve their spoken English, they should take turns reading out load in class.
Those Englsih classics are now in the public domain, meaning, anyone can republish them without having to pay royalty. Malaysia can thus publish paperback editions cheaply for use in our schools and general reading.
Your comment on my constantly criticizing Malaysia deserves a thoughtful response.
Yes in the 1980’s many too were predicting “doom and gloom” for America, especially with regards to its industry and schools. Yet America thrived and went ahead and beat the world, including the Japanese.
So you assume that my criticisms of Malaysia are misplaced and would fall into that same category. That is, our country would thrive.
Nothing would please me more than to be proven wrong ,and that Malaysia would continue to succeed. However, I do have my doubts because of this fundamental difference between Malaysia and America.
During the gloom and doom days of America, yes, there were many who condemned and criticized America. What was not appreciated was that, there were many more focused on how to improve the system. That is why America continues to thrive.
In Malaysia, we have very few critics, very few who would dare tell the emperor that he is wearing only a “sarong koton” and not a “sampin sutra.” Worse, that sarong is slipping down fast, exposing his ass when he stoops down. Malaysia has become, in the words of my friend Din, a societyof “Ahli Bodek.”
Even fewer still would dare suggest that the PM should substitute a pair of trousers with a belt and supender instead of merely refolding his sarong. Staying with the sarong, even he has folded it up again, would result in it slipping down again.
Din: I like your reference to the cougar being the fastest cat. It reminds me of the African proverb quoted in Thomas Friedman’s The Earth is Flat book.
Every morning on the African plains, a gazelle wakes up. He must immediately think of how to outrun the fastest lion lest he would be devoured that day. Every morning on that same plain, a lion wakes up. He must think of running faster than the slowest gazelle, otherwise the lion would starve. Meaning, we all - lions and gazelles - have to run fast, and do so every day.
Sallam,
M. Bakri Musa
February 10th, 2006 at 6:05 pm
Thanks Dr. Bakri, Fair Malaysian et.al for your comments.
Look out for Thomas Friedman’s “The Earth is Flat” in paperback when it is released for those who are interested in what is happening in the world of the 21st century. The hardcover is expensive (around rm 100), but even then it is selling well in our major bookstores in Kuala Lumpur.
Tom’s observations and comments are interesting and insightful. It will be useful if some of us who have been exposed to his writings can revisit his book, “Lexus and the Olive Tree”. I regard that the “Lexus” book as a road map for survival in the era of globalisation.
Taking about globalisation, Dr. Bakri Musa’s “Malaysia in the Era of Globalisation” is a good read, particularly his open letter to our former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed. I wish our present PM has the time to read that open letter, and consider some of Dr. Bakri’s recommendations as he “formulates” the Ninth Malaysia Plan. Wishful thinking, I guess, since I am told the PM is not an avid reader.
Finally, I feel it is time that an independent commission be set up to undertake a thorough and comprehensive review of our education system. Experts from overseas should be invited to present their views on what constitutes a good education system for the 21st century.
I stress the word “independent” since there is a tendency for our Government to invite views from “insiders”, and former insiders. These types cannot be expected to be critical of the status quo, which they had helped to create and perpetuate. This will be money worth investing, in stead of expending undisclosed amounts of money on the Royal Commission on the Police Force whose findings and recommendations are gathering cobwebs in the Prime Minister’s bookshelf or with some technical committee.
Thanks.
February 11th, 2006 at 12:35 am
Thanks M Bakri for your response.
With regard to your comments, I agree that there are very few critics especially within the elite circle (I mean those who are close to the establishment). I agree that the bodek culture is the norm. And then people outside of this elite circle are mostly virulent and unconstructive in their critics… just look at some commentators’ reaction to NEP throughout this blog… they just bash NEP etc…..but in reality all these bring us and the country no-where…as no viable solution is offered.
Perhaps this is because the very idea of democracy and critical thinking is alien to the Malaysian culture. These ideas have been imposed thanks to the British colonialists… however… I would say imperfectly imposed …as the origins of the elitism, authoritarianism and some of the problems we see in the society today are due to the British too…This is my personal opinion of course.
However, I sincerely hope that your gloom and doom prediction will be wrong.
Anyway, I already know that the English classics are mostly in public domain. You can get them via internet if you wish. All we need is to encourage secondary schoolers to get them or have their friends get it for them… Of course if they or their parents have money to spare… they can buy the books courtesy of Penguin publications… Most of these classics are puvlished by Penguin
And I agree that the oral part of English communication must be addressed too. It will be good if they can read aloud, ….to get the feel…of course supervised by English teachers……However, in my opinion, having known the (very low I would say) standard of English in our schools, I think by just reading the classics the standard of English will nonetheless improve drastically…..
Just to add….it would also be helpful if we can encourage them to read early i.e. from primary school… in this regard Enid Blyton’s numerous books would be a good suggestion.
February 11th, 2006 at 3:13 am
I wonder why the need to apportion blame on the British for all our woes be it wth the system of government or the people running it? Can’t we just acknowledge the fact that our society is simply too docile to even make an impression on the ruling elite?
The condescending attitude of those in power is not because of the British but purely self-made. It has come about because Umno has been in power far too long. We are to be blamed for the woes and not the British. The faster we rid ourselves of this delusion the better it is for everyone.
Remember the Malay peribahasa, “Aku lebih dulu makan garam” or “Jangan derhaka kepada raja”. This has somehow influenced our thinking and demeanour. Ridding this requires plenty of shaking up and soul searching.
I am grateful to the British for what we are today. Imagine what it would have been had we been colonised by the Thais or the Dutch?
Let’s give the Brits a break. And through this blog and other medium of communications endeavour to change the mindset of Malaysians, especially the ruling elite.
Our arguements, therefore, should be relevant and not grossly off-tangent to create an impression that our mentality is still infantile.
February 11th, 2006 at 5:56 pm
Pak Din,
Thanks for the tips for good books to read.
Malaysian needs to read a lot of books. I can’t agree more.
While Bakri suggest numerous ways to improve the current education standard and performance, it would be good to look at the current numbers of public libraries through out Malaysia. I do not have the figure, but I am inclined to guess that the numbers is shamefully low if we ratio it against the current Malaysian populations.
Pak Din’s remark about PM is not and avid reader catches my attention. Is it too much to say that it is to up bringing? Will anyone here disgree that reading habits is an inculcated behaviour and if it fully nurtured it will evolve to be a “culture”?
I think a lot of frustration (felt by many here) about current political turmoil and economic performance of Malaysia in general will diminish slowly but surely, if the populations in general are well read and knowledgeable. This will on takes place by prevalent reading habits among us, Malaysian. As always time is a factor however. But I still believe that his is a better bet that repeating and redefining the NEP and quick fix approach.
Malaysia must have strategic planning on sticking up public libraries through out Malaysia. Having a one off camping about ‘reading awareness” officialized by some minister, by “pulling open a curtain” followed by hand clapping and handshaking will not do. Time and time again, the awareness gets evaporated in to the thin air over time.
The government must ensure each county ( daerah or council) in Malaysia must have one library, and it must be done RIGHT NOW. Current libraries are not enough. It concentrates only to major town. Library must available in each county in Malaysia, regardless of its economic or political benefits.
The library must be built nearby places are where people like to spend time in the weekend. Say the shopping complex or malls? I find it works well with my family at least. There are times that some members of my family would want to go for shopping but some refuse. The problem turns out to be not problems, when the word library is mentioned. Well, if my one of my kid decided not to join the shopping team, he can join me to the library which is happen located just next to the mall. I think it is by design. I must congratulate the city council people where I reside.
Each of us should make an effort to make library visit as a weekly agenda as part of family activities. Library should ritually visit weekly like shopping mall/ mosque/church/etc too. No, I am not talking about creating new religious cult. I am talking nation building that is all.
All it takes is time and money and serious commitment from the ruling party of Malaysia. And pricing of books too. Never mind about current pricing of local cars in Malaysia, but RM100 for a hard cover book? How do we expect those with RM3000 to M4000/month would think to buy such book no matter how exiting the book is? Hmmmm……
By the way I am not a librarian. Just a person who likes to read books.
Salam
February 11th, 2006 at 10:00 pm
Fathol,
Well….. about the British, if you read the story of pre-Merdeka nationalists, you’ll get what I mean.
Surelly you must understand what is meant by “path dependence”…. Of course not all are to be blamed to the British. But the British did set the course of events and an “institutional trajectory” in which Malaysia has undergone and will undergo at least for the for-seable future.
I can understand your your gratefulness to the British.
Indeed we should be thankful to the British as we are endowned with the entrapments of the Westminster democracy…. but only superficially…..
If only the British have instituted representative democracy let say in the 1920s or even earlier rather than in 1951 [the 1st election in Malaya- for the George Town Municipal Council]… then the locals would have more time to absorb democracy and the institutions of democracy would be more firmly entrenched…
But the British… for whatever reasons chose to discorage healthy development of democracy…. at least until the cost of holding the empire exceeded it’s prestige…i.e. after the second world war.
Do you get what I mean?
Just imagine if the British decided to institute a Malayan House of Representative in 1901…… just imagine if the British were to let domestic affairs run by local executives…. (defence and security of course are run by the British…..)…
I dare say things would much different than they are today……
February 11th, 2006 at 10:14 pm
Amy’s Daddy,
Welcome to the Club of Book Lovers.
Reading makes a man/woman, to paraphrase Francis Bacon. I agree, you have to start our children early at pre-school, then advance preferably to the canons of literature and history, both East and West, and gradually move up to comparative religions, philosophy, ethics, politics, social and physical sciences. We should encourage them to use our public libraries. Once they get the hang of it, they are off on their own. Reading can be addictive, but it is a magnificent addiction. It is certainly better than “lepak” in the shopping centers.
As for our public libraries, they are third rate compared to the public libraries in Europe (e.g. Bibliothique de Nationale in Paris) and the United States (e.g. The Library of Congress in Washington D.C.). Singapore too has an excellent national library which is housed in an ultra-modern building. Have you visited our National Library in Jalan Tun Razak?
The Americans and the Europeans believe in sharing knowledge, and I am sure Dr. Bakri can bring us up to speed on the US situation. I also know that the Universities in the US allow the public access to their collections. In fact, you also can visit the various faculties and pick up their latest research papers free of charge.
The US Government Printing Office is a source of official publications and it is coveniently located. Our Government Printers is located in Jalan Chan Sow Lin in some corner of Kuala Lumpur within the printing complex. Our Dewan Bahasa shop is a sight to see. But to its credit, the University of Malaya Cooperative Bookstore is well organised and a delight to visit.
With regard to book prices, I believe there is an informal book “cartel” operating in Kuala Lumpur. This cartel determines prices of imported books and publications. Our Government has yet to look at how this cartel operates. The Ministry of Domestic Trade can make books and publications affordable to the public. In stead, our Government gives us a miserly RM500 tax relief, and creates so much publicity about it in the name of encouraging Malaysians to read!!.
It is a joke really. Many of us spend more than that amount in a month. What we need is not tax relief, but books and publications (fancy a Golf Magazine costing rm 19.90) at reasonable prices. In addition, the Ministry of Home Affairs bans them and decides what we can or cannot read. I thought parents and adults should do this. The Ministry forgets that we can access Google and other search machines for anything we wish to read. Welcome to the Age of Information.
All is not lost. You should visit the PayLess Bookstore at Ampang Point, Kuala Lumpur, or at Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya to buy good books. Some of the books sold there are relatively recent and in good condition. I recently bought Clark Clifford’s Memoirs and former Secretary of State George P. Schulz’s in hardcover, both in almost pristine condition, for less than RM50. There is also a place in Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur where you can buy books, some of them out of print, at rock bottom prices.
I hope the above is helpful for you and our other readers.
Thanks.
February 11th, 2006 at 11:38 pm
Hi Fathol Zaman,
A million thanks for making Ipoh Echo available online. From the layout and editorial, your team has put in a lot of love into it.
Altho I grew up in Penang, I love Ipoh more. Somehow the people in Ipoh, I find they are generally unassuming.
February 11th, 2006 at 11:58 pm
Amit, I understand your sentiments and affliation to the Independence movement. I am just trying to say the obvious. Why must we blame the Brits for all our woes, after all we have been an independent nation for almost half a decade now.
Mistakes committed by the Administartion should not be apportioned to our colonial masters alone. Our woes are our own making. Why must repressive laws be instituted to curb civil liberties? Yes, ISA was the brainchild of the Brits but it was for a reason. Should the law be perpetuated?
The problem lies with a ruling party that wants to hang on to power for as long as it desires. It does not care whether it’s done the right or wrong way. If something is not right blame it on the the Brits. You have a convenient scapegoat. It’s that simple.
Well, amit, not all of us are simpletons.
The moment we stop passing the buck the better it is for all of us. I would rather take the bull by its horns than blame others for my lack of courage.
February 12th, 2006 at 12:09 am
Dear humanly,
Thanks so much indeed for your kind words.
Many are skeptical at first but we have proven them wrong. Ipoh Echo will grow in strength.
That’s what I meant by taking the bull by the horns.
Cheers mate.
February 12th, 2006 at 2:41 am
Fathol,
I cannot help but laugh at your statement: “….not all of us are simpletons..”
So may I assume you are one of those sophisticates…
Fathol, you have cornered me… now I have to resort to being pompous and bombastic etc, etc, etc……
Rather than refuting your simpleton claim ….perhaps you should refer to Hay C’s: Crisis and The Structural Transformation of The State: Interrogating the Process of Change, published in British Journal of Politics and International Relations, Volume 1, Number 3, October 1999…
Ooopss a British journal….. but I found that article has a good definition of “institutional trajectory” which I used earlier in my comment.
And a sophisticate should also know what is meant by “path dependence” too. This term appears in quite a number of business management textbooks… But for the benefit of arm-chair commentators a wikipedia explanation should suffice:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Path_dependency
A sophisticate should understand the terms “institutional trajectory” and “path dependency”…..
February 12th, 2006 at 5:03 pm
To Din Merican
Have you read Ali Baba and the 40 thieves?
February 12th, 2006 at 9:59 pm
Dear Amit,
Malaysia belum merdeka. We simply ganti the Brits with Umno. We cannot go on blaming the past for our present. We have power over the present. What is past is gone and we cannot do much about it.
The survival of the fittest? No, look at the dinnossuars. The future belongs to those responsive and flexible to change.
I read some investment advice recommending to put our money in strong companies. But today’s blue chips could go out of business if they rest on their laurel and do not keep in step with the time.
February 13th, 2006 at 7:58 pm
Dear Observer,
Yes, some time ago. Do you think I should revisit it? Give me a good reason and I will. Or are you just being sarcastic? But in the meantime, I suggest in equal measure you watch P. Ramlee’s “Ali Baba Bujang Lapok”.
The message is the same. Are you suggesting that our country is being run by Ali Badawi and his more than 40 thieves, and that they will start looting again under the 9th Malaysian Plan? Do we need a simpleton Baba and his smart female servant to “kill” them off?
Thanks.
February 14th, 2006 at 11:58 pm
Dear humanly…
Your statement is contradictory.
Let me tell you why:
“Malaysia belum merdeka…” : this seems to support my assertion that we are “locked” in the institutional trajectory from the British era
“..We have power over the present… “this statement is contradicting your “belum Merdeka” assertion…
So humanly… what is meant by Merdeka. Or perhaps better phrased… Merdeka for whom? …..Merdeka untuk siapa?
Anyway, readers here do not seem to understand what is meant by institutional trajcetory and path dependence…
Yes..”we have power over the present…” to change for the future… but we are constrained by the past…. yes…the past has gone… but the legacies of the past still linger…..
Perhaps readers in this blog topic believe too much in “tabula rasa”….
Also to Humanly: the extinction of dinasours cannot be attributed to “survival of the fittest” explanation….
Outside / exogeneous factors can also change the “institutional or environmental equilibrium”… in the case of dinasours… their extinction could also be due to a possibility asteroid(s) or huge global enviromental shock(s)….
More on the “institutional equilibrium”…..A good example is Indonesian independence… before WWII, the Dutch planned to lord over Indonesia at least over 300 years more.. this is a statement by Dutch governor-general B.C. de Jonge (1931-36)…..but then the Japanese and the war spoiled their plans….
Same also with Malaya / Malaysia…. the British also planned to hold on to Malaya indefinitely before WWII….
If the British is more sincere in “developing” a more democratic Malaysia… they could follow what they have done in Canada, Australie and New Zealand……
Perhaps one advice to those who wish to change Malaysia and her society…. this will be an exteremely difficult job…..
February 15th, 2006 at 12:03 am
Just to add and clarify to the last part of my comment.
Survival can also be explained by luck… being in the right place and right time….
So… I don’t put too much faith in the “survival of the fittest” mantra…..
February 15th, 2006 at 5:23 am
Dear Amit,
The problem when we are too educated, we limit ourselves with intellectual argument. To be liberated we must think “Possibilities”.
Luck is another hindrance to breakthrough. The harder we work, the luckier we get. It’s painstaking prodding until we see the light of the day. I don’t envy them who lead a charmed life. Sooner or later their luck will run out.
The world belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
February 15th, 2006 at 8:15 pm
Humanly,
I can’t agree more. It’s difficult to drive home a point when someone sees things differenltly. Sometimes it’s better we put aside our intellectual arguements and opinions for the sake of sanity.
Just look at Badawi’s new lineup. Some even praised his “good” foresight. Wonder whether “path dependence” and “institutional trajectory” mean anything to Samy Velu, Tengku Adnan and Zainuddin Maidin.
Like I said, I am just stating the obvious. No offence meant to anyone.
Cheers.
February 15th, 2006 at 11:14 pm
Aha… I sense sentiments of anti-intellectualism here
But this is contradictory…
I mean ….here is the M Bakri blog… who in the next blog topic….posted an article about Kassim Ahmad…. Kassim Ahmad constantly argue for the case of intellectualism over the dogmatic (straightjacket) interpretation of religion….. and then here are commentators: humanly and Fathol who are expressing sentiments of anti-intellectualism…… i.e. by asking people to “put aside our intellectual arguments and opinions for the sake of sanity….”
Well…. I would say that the British… in promoting Malay elitism is partly responsible for this attitude……
Poor Kassim Ahmad… some people (including myself) have called him insane… for expressing thoughts that are close to being apostatic. Indeed he is so close to being to being an apostate (my opinion of course…)… and some religious authorities have pronounced him apostate….
Anyway……. don’t people know the definition of “sanity” is culturally, socially, geographic and time specific… you know….Soviet dissidents have been put in mental and psychiatric hospitals for expressing anti-communist thoughts….. (of course now people in Russia are free to express anti communist sentiments there).
February 16th, 2006 at 12:02 am
Dear Amit,
Anti-intellectualism? Real life is in the living. One can live in the bliss of hypothesis and rationalise his belief. No one can escape from the consequences of the choice he or she makes.
February 16th, 2006 at 1:41 am
Intellectualism and real life goes hand in hand…..
You see… anti-intellectualism will be the bane of society. This is the seed of backwardness… in fact it is believed that anti-intellectualism is one major reason why Industrial revolution did not occur in the Muslim world… just read Kassim Ahmad….
Anti-intellectualism in fact would be the downfall of any society.
Let me tell you something which I experienced about 15 years ago. About anti-intellectualism in the Malaysian corporate sector… Sorry I can’t be more precise:
I remembered an HR Vice President of one company told me that an MBA is a piece of paper to be framed and hung on the wall…. And then this firm’s CEO spend so much money to hire a foreign consultant to re-structure the company….. and let me tell you… this foreign consulting team took a page out of a management textbook on the “ideal” corporate structure …yea- cut and paste…. And suggested how the new structure of the company should look like….
Allright looking at the current situation now….. No wonder many Malaysian firms can’t compete ….
I suspect that the sentiment of anti-intellectualism discourages these firms from fully utilising their human resources… instead they wasted so much money to ask foreign consultants to tell them something about management theory…. I am damn sure my story is being repeated over and over again as I see many affiliates of the famous foreign consultants seem to be thriving in KL….. (as for the last time I visited KL…)
February 16th, 2006 at 8:32 am
Dear Amit,
You proved to be dogmatically intellectual.
Real life? Perception can be static or dynamic. It’s your call. I won’t try to influence you to my perception.
Certain jobs require high skills. Would you trust your life in the hands of a surgeon with high skill but no integrity or another one with low skill but very honest? No offense meant to our host, Dr Bakri. I took this from the 8th habit by stephen covey.
February 16th, 2006 at 8:44 pm
“In truth the future does not belong to the English speakers rather those who are fluent in English and another language; next would be those who speak only English; and the least advantaged would be those who speak only other than English”
Dear People,
Is there anyone out there who does not know this? I prefer French and Jawa but currently learning Hindi.
February 17th, 2006 at 1:17 am
ha ha ha…
Humanly,
Tell you what… I prefer someone to be dogmatically intellectual than some one who says: ..”.Sometimes it’s better we put aside our intellectual arguements and opinions for the sake of sanity. …”
Those who are dogmatically intellectual will be more open for discussion…. and this is the basis of democracy… discussion… something Malaysians have not really learn to grasp… (British fault eh?)
But of course ultimately all differences and arguments will be resolved by empirical observations…..
Now, I wonder, on what basis humanly ask that integrity vs skill question… Actually integrity can also be seen as a skill too…. i.e. the surgeon doctor would see than integrity is valuable to attract patients and for the sake of maintaining high income in the future. Crooked and dishonest doctors may be reprimanded by the medical board, or worse, lose their licence…..
You know… goodwill is essential in business…or in the professions so, ceteris paribus the higher level of integrity, the more money that business or professional will be able to obtain….
Of course, I would not know what is the real motive of humanly asking that integrity vs skill question…. unless he cares to explicate…..
February 17th, 2006 at 4:35 am
Dear amit,
I believe you are a rational guy. Do you need to be personal by alluding to my remarks?
February 17th, 2006 at 10:23 pm
Fathol,
Sorry about using that quote. I use it as it is convenient….. should have checked my comments… but well…. I type quite fast then hit the submit icon….
Anyway… I can’t say I am rational in the classical sense. But I do believe I am boundedly rational….. i.e. bounded by my experience, upbringing and education…and bounded by the surrounding (i.e. mainly by the society which I am now domiciled in….)