No Eton of the East
SEEING IT MY WAY
M Bakri Musa
Malaysiakini.com Dec 5, 2005
No Eton of the East
Book review: Leadership: But What’s Next? Malay College Kuala Kangsar
1905-2005.
Writer: Khasnor Johan
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Times Edition, 2005 Shah Alam.
248 pp; Indexed
Editorial lead: Malay College excelled when it was the only residential school. It thus represents a sorry metaphor for the Malay mentality – to excel there must not be any competition.
This year Malay College celebrates its centenary. Apart from the glittering and very expensive bashes, there are the adoring editorials, press releases, and the occasional books. Well, actually only one book, so far.
I bought Khasnor Johan’s Leadership: But What’s Next? tempted by its title. It promises a critical look. The foreword by Abdullah Ahmad, a distinguished alumnus and former Ambassador to the United Nations, sealed my decision.
Alas, the promise is unfulfilled. The book is long on description but pitifully poor on analysis. As for a prescription on what ails this “national heritage,” she offers none.
The author is a retired academic, formerly with the University of Malaya, an institution mired in its own controversy recently. I expected a semi rigorous if not scholarly production.
The author’s “research” consisted nothing more than snippets of interviews from legends of the college’s “old boys.” The quotes were more “man on the street” variety rather than weighty discussions and deep reflections. Her excuse is that she resides in Australia. The long (40 pages) Chapter 5, “What Old Boys Left Behind,” is nothing more than a laundry list of former students and their achievements, with no overriding themes or lessons learned. A commentator once cynically advised authors to include as many names as possible in the index; they are potential buyers of your book!
Rest assured that even though she cited me three times, that is not the reason I bought her book.
I would have expected that as a former historian she would still have her skills especially in research and writing. I was sorely disappointed. She never read any of the archives at the college or ministry (if she did, she did not refer to them). Thus, the glaring deficiency of this book is the lack of references. When she did quote, as she did from my first book, The Malay Dilemma Revisited, she did so without giving due credit or referencing it. This reflects sloppy scholarship, lack of diligence, or sheer laziness.
Malay College’s Trimesters
She breaks Malay College’s 100 years into three: from its inception in 1905 to its sudden closure in1941; from its reopening in 1947 after World War II to 1965 when its last expatriate headmaster, N. J. Ryan, left (the “Golden Years” to Khasnor and many collegians); and after 1965, when locals specifically Malays took over.
The British were intent on nurturing this “germ of an Oxford.” The college’s moniker, Eton of the East, reflects this aspiration. The British supported their aspiration with deeds; they sent only graduates from their best universities to teach at and lead the college.
There was only one snag. As admissions to the college were limited only to the royal and aristocratic class, the supply of talent among the students was necessarily limited.
Khasnor did not explore whether the British decided this on their own or they were merely pleasing the Malay sultans and aristocrats by ensuring that their sons would not be contaminated by mixing them with children of commoners.
Perhaps sultans and colonialists alike believed that we kampong children were content running around barefooted and half naked; educating us would be futile.
With rising nationalism and the consequent quest for independence after World
War II, there was a great and desperate need for Malays trained for the public service. The college had to open its doors to bright young Malays of less than noble heritage. To augment its output, the college discontinued its primary classes. The man responsible for liberalizing the admission policy was Datuk Onn, UMNO’s first president.
In the early 1960s, the Malay establishment belatedly recognized the acute need for Malays trained in the sciences. Malay College expanded its science classes.
Khasnor blamed this delayed introduction of science at the college to the generally low level of science teaching in Malaysia. That is not correct.
When I entered the college for my Sixth Form in 1961, my teachers and fellow students were stunned to learn that my old Tuanku Muhammad School in sleepy Kuala Pilah already had pure science classes at Form IV for many years while Malay College was still planning its own!
Racism of the Malay Elite
Many lament Malay College’s decline in the last few decades. The “old boys” blame the slide to Malays taking over the leadership of the college. Khasnor endorses this assessment. This is racism of the worse kind; Malays lacking confidence in their own kind. To Khasnor and those old boys, Malay headmasters and teachers were no match to the earlier expatriates.
Conveniently overlooked is that those Malay headmasters were never given a chance. Except for the first, Abdul Aziz Ismail, who stayed for a few years, all the rest had brief tenures, with one lasting barely a few months, just enough for an entry on his resume. Unlike their British counterparts who treated their postings at Malay College as terminal appointments, these Malay educators treated their stints at Kuala Kangsar as steppingstones on their way to be Undersecretary for Procurement at the Ministry.
The only and alas very brief shining moment for the college was during the 1960s and 70s when it made merit the criterion for admission and emphasized the sciences in the curriculum. Unfortunately, instead of learning from and enhancing that success, the ministry and the college rested on their laurels.
The slide began. Instead of being a shining model for the many new residential schools, Malay College became an ordinary school, with equally ordinary achievements. I dare not compare Malay College with its counterparts in other countries, like Singapore’s Raffles Institution (now a Junior College), or the real Eton back in the United Kingdom.
Today Malay College does not even prepare its students for university matriculation; they have to go elsewhere for that! The “college” is reduced to nothing more than a glorified and very expensive middle school.
Malay College and the other residential schools are expensive, with the students’ entire tuition and living expenses borne by the government. These schools chronically complain about not getting enough funding from the government. Yet no one suggested that the children of the well-to-do must pay their way.
These students thus learn early and well on how to get a free ride. At its multitude centenary celebrations, many graced by the sultans and other dignitaries, the rich and famous among the College’s “old boys” ostentatiously displayed their wealth. Yet there is not a single structure or project on campus donated by them.
Malay College excelled only when it was the only residential school in the country. It thus represents a sorry metaphor for the Malay mentality, that is, to excel, there must not be any competition! Today’s insistence on rigid quotas and preferential policies by the Malay establishment reflects this ingrained mindset; thus no competition for UMNO’s top positions!
Excellence in an environment sans competition is a dubious distinction. Even a dim candle would look bright in dark room if it were the only candle.
December 6th, 2005 at 1:15 pm
Looks like Malay College will remain a “Malay College” and nothing more if things remain the same. I remember in 1965 when I did my MCE/SPM, BBBS a relatively new school and many other schools had 100% passes outshining MCKK.
I once commissioned a UM Prof to do an exit report focussing on Technology Transfer - whether technology transfer did occur at the institute that we had completed and about to hand over. The report was disappointing and mainly dealt with the students progress and their views and perspective. Very much a sociology term paper. The Prof negelected to research the train the trainer, different teaching methods, pedagogy, different curricullum, different system of teaching, testing and grading and the effect of an English only program.
Other areas not included in the report are whether the local trainers taking over had acquired the necessary skills and competency despite the training locally and abroad, the quality of teaching of the locals versus the expatriates, the competency of the local trainers in using the training aids and equipment installed at the campus and the most important the employability of the graduates by industry at the completion of study.
In essence I was really disappointed.
December 6th, 2005 at 10:00 pm
I was in the my school 4×100 relay team. We used to compete in various schools within the state of Perak. The mention of MCKK relay team amongst our competition sent shiver down our spine. We already mentally lost the race before it all began. MCKK used to be the awe of the 60’s in many fields not only confined to sports but others like debate and quiz.
Last week, I met up with a school mate two years my junior from Anderson School where I did my form six. We exchanged old memories. I was surprised that he remembered me being in the school rugby team for a short while even after 35 years. MCKK just squashed us with no mercy.
I suppose MCKK is not alone. St Michael and ACS in Ipoh used to be names that equates excellence. Today I am not so sure. So was VI and St John’s in KL. What happened?
Ogre,
Good to hear you are from BBBS. I did a short teaching stink at BBBS in the seventies.
Dr Bakri,
With your past writings some stretching back as far back as 9 years lamenting the state of affairs of our Malaysian Education system, is there anybody listening?
As students what our teachers said remains with us for a long long time. I remember one of our teachers who used to criticise us for mistakes we made. He said “you can tell the future of the kid by the way he/she reacts to criticism”
December 6th, 2005 at 10:50 pm
kgboy
Yes time flies. we recently celebrated our 40th year reunion of BBBS. BBBS started as a small school in Jalan Templer behind the Vivekenanda School in PJ. It’s first HM was a Scotsman Dr McGregor, a strict disciplinarian. The students comes from the poor areas and landed at BBBS not by choice. But the graduating class of 1965 saw a few Doctors, lawyers, accountants, engineers and successful businessmen amongst them. These people are not only smart but street smart. I hope your stint at BBBS was a pleasant one.
December 6th, 2005 at 11:22 pm
There’s a saying our mind is like a parachute. Can you imagine a closed parachute when it should be open? Throughout history countries that practise closed-door policy tend to stay in the doldrum.
For the sake of MCKK’s glory, it should open its windows to look out and for the world to look in.
I encourage anyone interested in Media to surf Poynter Media Institute. It emphasises cultural diversity in staffing the newsroom so that tiny voices that make up the community can also be heard.
We tend to stereotype communities overlooking the rationale of their culture and the roots of their psyche. I learn a lot by interacting and listening to the other side.
December 7th, 2005 at 12:27 am
Guys,
MCKK was a school for royalty and the Malay elite/aristocracy, now for Malay elite wannabes. It was the colonial British who wanted this school so that they could leave behind anglophiles.
For a while, that was what the MCKK was about. The sad part of it is that MCKK guys today still think they are the cream of the crop. Dr. Kashnor Johan’s book is an attempt to perpetuate this myth.
I was from the Penang Free School (estab. 1816). I think we were different, although we had British HMs and teachers during my time. For years, we were the pride of the Pearl of the Orient because even ordinary low middle class guys like me could attend it as long as we did well academically. It was a free school.
Thanks.
December 7th, 2005 at 1:05 am
Ogre,
Mr Boler was the HM then when I was there. He too is a disciplinarian. Most HM’s were in the old days. I remember how disappointed he was when I had to leave the school only after six months there. Still he could not understand why inspite of my short stink, I received a roaring applause from my students after giving a nervous departure speech during the assembly. It must be my ‘youngness’ being a fresh grad and that I could associate with them more than the strict no nonsense ones at the school. Teaching was not my forte. Nevertheless, Ogre it was a pleasant one.
December 7th, 2005 at 2:28 am
Sori, stink!!!!! what horror, change to stint.
December 7th, 2005 at 5:08 am
Pak Din, SXI made PFS run. In life we need pace-setters and competitions to push us to the limits.
December 7th, 2005 at 5:39 am
Any MCKK boys here??
They may be good in rugby but they are hopeless when it comes to chess. Their standard was nowhere near being a source of pride. There was this one time, when we trashed them 5-0. The Anderson and KE7 were better rivals in this game. When I was president of the club, we defeated both schools -but admttedly by narrow margins each time.
But I must admit when it came to rugby in the 60s, they were a formidable foe. They displayed good sportsmanship and they were good, strong players. They lived and studied together and they were able to excel mostly because they were able to play as a team - better than any other teams.
Next to MCKK are the Penang Frees (alma mater of Din Merican - a Penang mamak and I say this not in a derogatory sense). Together they were our traditonal rivals in both sports and studies.
Tunku attended the same school as I did - but later changed to Penang Frees. He received part of his education in Bangkok in the early 1900s. My disappointment is that he always looked upon Penang Free as his alma mater. Mahathir too attended the same school as I did. So did Daim, Tajuddin Ramli and many others including former deputy Home Minister, former Lord President - many went on to graduate from the country’s only university at the time. A selected few (who later returned to make up the Malay intelligentsia) left a paper trail that stretched to foreign lands - this almost always meant the U.K. in those days.
There was no doubt that the brits meant to make MCKK the Eaton of the East. But if that was their intention, today MCKK is only a shadow of its old self -like MU.
December 7th, 2005 at 8:40 am
Yeah, we hated those MCKK boys. Snooty and snobish. They trashed us in rugby and basketball - year and year out. It was a foregone conclusion. But I did exact a revenge when I beat their best high jumper to second spot at the North Perak Combined Schools Sports two years in a row -1964 and 1965. I believe he was Shamsul.
December 7th, 2005 at 8:44 am
Oops! Sorry, “year in and year out”.
December 7th, 2005 at 2:25 pm
dont worry…
what goes in must come out. ask din merican.
December 7th, 2005 at 5:13 pm
i say bang mat,
tina pun dari st. nicholas convent aloq setaq juga - sama dengan bang din kita. bukan lah, bang din merican kita tu bukan dari st. nicholas convent - st. nicholas tu all girls school. bang din kita not qualified lah. tapi kalau bagi chance dia masuk juga.
December 7th, 2005 at 5:14 pm
ooops
December 7th, 2005 at 7:46 pm
Bakri,
While we like openness, but not trash from tina and matmoto in this respected website. Some censorship is quite in order. Let us have some serious discourse. Thanks, Din.
December 7th, 2005 at 9:22 pm
“Excellence in an environment sans competition is a dubious distinction. Even a dim candle would look bright in dark room if it were the only candle.”…with that statement, i agree with you mr bakri
i was from johore science school in the 70’s..with all the many types of residential schools , science schools, technical schools and mrsm….mckk is just another ordinary premier residential school today producing the ordinary.
December 7th, 2005 at 9:29 pm
Observer,
I am proud to be a mamak!! My great paternal grandma is Chinese (and she must have been one great looking chick for my great grandpa to defy convention and marry outside his clan). To boot, the Government gave me bumiputra status with no help from the Malaysian Mamak Association, which is now desperately looking for handouts and 2 senatorships!! So, no problem.
In those days (1940-1970), we had great schools throughout the length and breadth of our country. Let me try to name some of them: Derma English School (Perlis), Sultan Abdul Hamid College, Badlishah School, St Nicholas Convent, Ibrahim School, Iskandar School, and Sultanah Asma School (Kedah), Penang Free School, St Xavier’s Institution, Chung Ling High School, The Methodist Boys School, St George Girls School (we at the PFS love the girls there), Bukit Mertajam High School, and The Penang Convent (all in Penang), King Edward of Taiping, The Malay College, The Clifford School, Anderson School, St Michaels, The Methodist School, Tapah English School (all in Perak), The Victoria Institution, St Johns, Bukit Nenas Convent, The Royal Military College, Bukit Bintang Girls School, The Methodist School, and Kelang High School(Kuala Lumpur and Selangor), The King George V, St. Paul, Kolej Tunku Kurshiah, and Tampin High School (Negri), Malacca High School and St. Francis (Malacca), Muar High School and Johore English College (Johore), a few (?) in Pahang, and Sultan Ismail School (Kelantan). I am sure you all can add more since my list is not exhaustive. I have not mentioned those in Sabah and Sarawak.
Humanly,
Yes, SXI was a great rival school. We at the PFS respected them as they were never pushovers. But I remember we at PFS trashed them 9-2 at soccer in 1959. I scored the last goal from the center of the field, to the wild cheers of our adoring girls from St George’s.
The competition with SXI was always intense, and we trained hard for every encounter with them. We were even prepared to break our legs to win. I have some great friends from SXI, including Tun Daim who is a very smart, tough and tenacious competitor. We studied, played hard and mixed freely.
I often ask myself, what has become to all these great schools which once produced excellent political leaders like Dato Onn Jaffar, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Abdul Razak, Tun Hussein Onn, Tun Dr. Ismail Abdul Rahman, Tun Tan Siew Sin, Tun Sambanthan, Pak Kir Johari, Senu A. Rahman (and buddies like Syed Kechik and Monty Zain), and Tun Dr. Mahathir who went on to create history, technocrats like Kadir Shamsuddin, Ghazalie Shafie, Aminuddin Baki, Tun Ismail Mohamad Ali, Rama Iyer (my economics tutor), Malek Ali Merican, Thong Yaw Hong, Choi Siew Hong, Dato K. Pathmanaban and Ramom Navaratnam, public intellectuals like Professor Syed Hussein Alatas, Professor Syed Naguib Alatas, Professor Ahmad Ibrahim, Royal Professor Ungku Abdul Aziz, Harvard trained social scientist Colin Abraham, and historian Zainal Abidin Wahid, and great sportsmen and sportswomen like Eddy Choong and his brother David, Teh Kew San, Johnny Heah, Lim Say Hup, Rahim Ahmad, the Sibel sisters, Marina Chin, Zaiton Othman and Savithri, Ghani Minhat, Yusof Bakar and Mokhtar Dahari, Mike and Christy Shepherdson, Dr. Alex Delikan, and Dr. Mani Jegathesan, entertainers like P. Ramlee, Saloma, Rafaeh Buang, S.M. Salim, Kamariah Nor, Hamzah Dolmat, and my cousin Ahmad Daud, and composers like Jimmy Boyle, Alfonso Soliano, Gus Steyn, the Nawab Brothers, and Ahmad Merican?
Only our political masters and their professional advisors can answer this question. We are keen for some real answers. Can’t we rediscover the creativity and imagination of those bygone years. I love to hear from you, my friends.
Thanks.
December 7th, 2005 at 11:12 pm
Bro Din
Monty Zain is still alive and well in Orange County. We recently met up for Hari Raya. He is well inspite of his age.
The names you mentioned cross a couple of generations. Some made their mark in politics while others in sports and the arts.
Today we have the new generations like Najib Tun Razak, Hishammudin Hussein Onn, Lim Kit Siang, Karpal Singh, Nazri Abdul Aziz, Shahir Samad all making their mark in politics albeit in a different style. In the sports and arts we have such people as Nicol David, Erra Fazira, Sheila Majid, KRU, M Nasir, Mawi and others. This is the new generation and can’t be compared with their grand parents generation. We have to acknowledge the generation gap. While asli and ranggam are my dad’s kind of music, i like rock and roll and my sons like hard rock and new age. So for each generation there will be the identifiers. You can still dream on for the bygone years but time marches on and please don’t get left behind. Rose Chan has been replaced by Britney Spears, SM Salim by Mawi. 10-4
December 7th, 2005 at 11:32 pm
hmmm….something tells me i am surrounded by old men. where have all the young boys gone??
December 7th, 2005 at 11:34 pm
oopps…
December 7th, 2005 at 11:48 pm
Well there’s Tina who helps break the monotony.
December 8th, 2005 at 12:01 am
Pak Din,
You brought back pleasant nostalgia tho I am born in ‘57. Those were the days we held our teachers in high esteem. I can say most of my teachers were role models. They not only imparted knowledge but also lessons in life.
Gratified Jimmy Boyle was in your list. Not that he was famed for his music but a man with his students close to his heart. He paid school fees for his charges who could not afford. Tho a no-nonsense teacher, his sense of humour brought lessons alive.
About 2 weeks before his untimely death, he came to class and warned us to study hard for our future. I remembered clearly coz he said he would haunt us if we didn’t heed his words.
December 8th, 2005 at 12:06 am
and din wants her gagged…..!
December 8th, 2005 at 1:16 am
A little teasing, a little flattery is good for the ego. Jangan sikit sikit marah, cepat tua.
December 8th, 2005 at 4:06 am
is that you humanly possible??
December 8th, 2005 at 4:33 am
BBBS Ever, we would pledge to thee……
December 8th, 2005 at 4:38 am
I think Din Merican is over reacting – Tina has brought some comic relief to an otherwise tense situation. She has not over stepped the bounds of public decency in her amorous approach to matters of the heart, though apparently her attention needs refocusing perhaps making it humanly possible for others to vie for her overflowing affection as well.
I think Tina is not what she makes herself out to be. She’s educated, a liberated female – liberal in her views, unlike the far right like Ann Coulter who deserves a few bad pies (and perhaps an occasional rotten egg) in her face every time she speaks at campuses.
December 8th, 2005 at 5:06 am
I wonder - did the government leaders back then think that schools like VI, Penang Free and MCKK were bad models for the country? Were the students who came out not good enough? Why did they not model all schools after these? Why do we have the awful SRK and SMKs that we have today? Does anyone know?
December 8th, 2005 at 5:33 am
Given Malaysia’s 150 years experience with English based education (since Penang Free in 1816), I wonder why did we throw that all away. Singapore took it and improved it and Singaporean schools are ranked among the best schools in the world today. Their textbooks are being used by some schools in America. And to think in 1957, our schools were basically on par with those in Singapore. So sad.
Anyway, as long as we are on the subject, I think we should recognize that not all students learn the same way OR have the same aspirations. Destroy our cookie cutter schools!
Some are far better suited and would be far happier working at trades and crafts. For this a school system should be set up where those who are so inclined can learn a trade or skill and enter an apprenticeship. When they are ready the schools should help place them in job or help them start their own business.
Then we have the academically inclined. And even for these, we should establish different types of schools. Science angled schools, Performing Arts angled schools, Literature Angled schools, Music Angled Schools, Technology angled schools. School curriculum should be in English but students should be required to master Malay + 1 other language, effectively making them tri-lingual.
Some schools should be based on doing - students should be able to start companies to learn business, make movies and stage art exhibitions to learn art, travel the world to learn about culture.
Some schools should be based on reading - some children do learn better via reading.
At the same time, minimum wage structures need to be introduced so that no matter what they chose to do, they can make a decent living. After all, we need all kinds for a vibrant healthy society.
I believe new common subjects like refinement, sophisticaton, ettiquette, comparative culture and religious studies, ethics, chivalry, civic behaviour, effective communication, public service, hygiene should be introduced at the 12-17 age.
Military national service should be required for the males - not so much for combat readiness but for the bonding, discipline and physical fitness it brings. It doesn’t have to be a 2 year thing like Singapore. But it can be like 1 afternoon a week during the 12-17 age group and maybe an annual 1 week training in the camp or jungle. This will give the males an outlet for their energy which might otherwise go to less productive things and also bring students from all background and all walks of life together during their formative years. A similar program can be implemented for females. National service like we have now is too late in their life. Polarization has already set in.
Private colleges who want to start granting degrees have to agree to start one non-profit research based uni for every profit based one. My reason for saying this is that the non-profit uni can focus on doing research, which no parent is willing to pay for, while the profit making uni can then focus on teaching and training and preparing student for the job market, and this is something parents are willing to pay for. And LAN has to get out of the way.
What do you guys think?
December 8th, 2005 at 8:24 am
you said
“Given Malaysia’s 150 years experience with English based education (since Penang Free in 1816), I wonder why did we throw that all away….”
but they did not throw all that away. they used issues pertaining to language and education to promote their own private agenda. in the 60s, malay school teachers emerged in post-independent malaya as the leading pressure group in malay politics - they were not well paid and under recognized and sought to provide legitimacy to their cause. they were later supplanted by the small traders and malay hawkers - direct offshoot of the racial riots in 1969.
those same people having made good of their position (malay school teachers) are now dying out. people like ghafar baba. having tinkered and tampered with the national education system, they then decided they had no confidence in the system they helped to forge, and sent their offsprings overseas for their education. these foreign educated malays now hold the reins of the youth wing in their respective political parties.
with globalisation, they would appear to be out of syn with reality if they were to continue to ignore the relevance of the english language to trade and commerce.
the national education is in a mess - but who cares as long as they are able to loot and plunder the national treasury to send their offsprings overseas to continue the tradition.
December 8th, 2005 at 8:38 am
Thanks Bintang for your suggestions. They seem most plausible and practical.
The oldies on this blog, Pak Din and Dr Bakri inclusive, are from the old school. We have had liberal doses of English being taught when we were barely 7 years old. In my case, I started when I was 5. Kindergarden and tution were unheard of in the 50s.
Mission schools, like those mentioned by Pak Din, were the vogue then. Teachers were mostly Chinese and Indians. The only Malay teacher in my school was one Cikgu Adnan who taught us Bahasa Kebangsaan. Bernard taught us English and we were mesmerised by his ability to write flowery sentences, off the cuff, on the black board. Such talent is unherad of these days.
There is a dearth of these genre of teachers today. The current education system is the cause.
Ten years after Merdeka, in 1967, Bahasa Malaysia was made compulsory and became the medium of instruction at Primary One. Teacher training colleges began to train Malay teachers in earnest and they soon flood the country. Their entry into the system marked the decline of English usage in schools.
Schools were nationalised, in line with the education policy embarked then. Methodist Secondary School Parit Buntar became Sekolah Menegah Kebangsaan Methodist Parit Buntar. Once managed and run by the missionaries today it is a shadow of what it was then.
I attended a reunion a couple of years ago and what a shock it was. The transformation was complete. For a moment I thought I had walked into a malay school in the kampong.
It is unfortunate but what can be done? That is the policy and the policy comes from the top and is being refined and fine tuned to (im)perfection.
This is the root cause. Is anyone bothered? I am not bothered as to the direction the government takes. It’s beyond my control. We can argue until the cows come home will it make any different?
Today, two ministries are being entrusted with the development of education in the country. Both ministries, to my mind, are equally hopeless because the ones at the helm are so clueless.
I am pretty certain views and suggestons have been deliberated by the “cerdik pandai” since our educators are so fond of attending seminars, meetings and workshops.
Wonder whether reslolutions made at these seminars are ever considered or are they being assigned into unmarked files to fill the cabinets.
It’s a crying shame. Only today my lawyer friend has decided to transfer his two kids from a national to a private school. The International School in Ipoh, once under Yayasan Perak and now managed by Dato’ KK Lim, will be the beneficiary.
His excuse is simple. The RM400 he pays for tution is too hefty for him to sustain. He prefers to send his children to the Intrnational School so they can be better educated. Parents in Johore Bahru send their kids to Singapore for the same reason.
Education is too serious a matter for politicians to handle. Period.
December 8th, 2005 at 8:44 am
you said
“Military national service should be required for the males - not so much for combat readiness but for the bonding, discipline and physical fitness it brings. It doesn’t have to be a 2 year thing like Singapore.”
singapore is in a totally different situation than malaysia. they lack the manpower needed to defend their country and they have no alternattive but to look towards national service to provide the needed manpower. they look to israel as the model for them - a modern and techonology driven air force, strong enough to take out within 72 hours, all the military air bases in malaysia in time of a war between the two countries. their army is not meant to put boots on the ground in malaysia but to defend the island nation until help comes.
to the powers that be, it is obvious that national service in malaysia is a double edge weapon. just like in singapore where there are no malays above a certain rank in the singapore air force, in malaysia the situation is of course assisted by the traditional unwillingness of the malaysian chinese to involve themselves in anything like the police or military.
let’s just say that the powers that be are not stupid as to follow singapore. demographics allow policy makers in singapore to “overlook” it would appear this aspect of national service. malays are a small minority in singapore and pose no threat to their national security.
December 8th, 2005 at 9:18 am
“singapore is in a totally different situation than malaysia. they lack the manpower needed to defend their country and they have no alternattive but to look towards national service to provide the needed manpower. they look to israel as the model for them - a modern and techonology driven air force, strong enough to take out within 72 hours, all the military air bases in malaysia in time of a war between the two countries. their army is not meant to put boots on the ground in malaysia but to defend the island nation until help comes.”
Isn’t it sad that Singapore considers Malaysia its biggest threat? How did it all come to this??
December 8th, 2005 at 9:53 am
Singaore is always suspicious of her neighbours. She has come to consider Indonesia and Malaysia as her main threat because of the preponderance of the Malay race. She is the lone Chinese in a sea of Malays.
Confrontation with Indonesia, when she was part and parcel of Malaysia in the 60s, had given her valuable lessons. When Tunku decided to severe ties with Singapore, Harry Lee dicovered that he was alone. Although independence was given to her on a sliver platter, defence was still a Malaysian issue.
A Malaysian infantry brigade under the late Brig-Gen Syed Mohamed Asalgof was stationed on the island for its defence needs. This did not go down well with Harry Lee. He decided, then and there, that Singapore should be defended by its own forces.
Malaysians serving in the two battalions of the Singapore Infantry Regiment were demobilised and absorbed into the Malaysian Army. Asalgof and his brigade were transferred out to Sg Besi Camp in KL effective 1966.
Yes, defending her soil is the objective of the Singapore armed forces but fighting a pitch battle in her own backyard is not a choice.
So a plan has been hatched and rehearsed. Should a war break out with Malaysia, her army is poised to invade the southern half of Johore and hold ground till hostilities end via mediation. She has enough firepower to ensure this, as any invasion must be supported by airpower.
Air supremacy is a must. Therefore, our airfields are their fixed targets. Pre-emptive strike is an option they cannot forego.
Singapore has engaged Isreal to train its soldiers that’s why the two-year national service has been incorporated into their defence system. Rapid mobilisation is a good option, as deployment can be hasten. This has been practised to perfection.
We’ll not become sitting ducks. We have the means to overcome the initial setbacks. Our defence planners are not sitting idle doing nothing. Plans are afoot to counter any surprises the Sinagporeans may throw at us.
December 8th, 2005 at 11:11 am
English was the bond of our generation. Today, English is the Language of the coloniser.
Sports were where we trashed each other without concern for colours or material rewards except for the colours of our house and our school flags. Today sports is the short cut to datokship.
We learned from young that Bahasa Kebangsaan was the Jiwa of our nation and we respect it while a pass was a must. Today Bahasa Malaysia is the only language you must learn and it becomes the proof our your loyalty.
Teachers were our models, while under their guidance, we aspired to be the best in all professions including teaching. Today teaching is a profession when you have no choice.
Universities were then places for character building. Today it is a paper mill.
Vice Chancellors were personalities of impeccable academicians respected by their peers. Today they are the guardians of one way thought.
You know it, I know it, they know it, what’s happening to the nurseries of our future leaders? Yes you guess it is where one specie of plant is planted!
December 8th, 2005 at 12:42 pm
Yes Marianne, we are indeed in the company of old men, stick around though, sometimes it gets interesting. Anyway, I consider MCKK one of my brothers as I am a proud graduate of Sekolah Tun Fatimah Johor Baru, beside being from Johor. I haven’t been back to STF since I left but the others have shared and observed the same decline, especially the feeling of ukhuwah between students. Some are acting like bullies, and these are all girls schools. Masa sekolah dulu, kami tak angkat muka kat Cikgu.
I still can’t believe no one from MCKK is saying anything here. Should I invite them to visit and chat with us?
Anyway, I’m off to Hawaii to run my very first marathon.
December 8th, 2005 at 7:48 pm
FZ: “Singaore is always suspicious of her neighbours. She has come to consider Indonesia and Malaysia as her main threat because of the preponderance of the Malay race. She is the lone Chinese in a sea of Malays.”
But if Singapore was located in IndoChina or Philippines would it feel the same? Are you sure the threatening noises made by Malaysia (I’m sure you know who there are) is not partly to blame?
December 8th, 2005 at 8:57 pm
Dear FZ/Bintang
A observation, must we buy in what the politicians in both Singapore & Malaysia are saying who have their perenial bogey persons since there are still shared history. May I observe the following:-
Taiwan politics has China as the bogeyperson and Japan as secondary.
China politics has Taiwan and Japan and Korea but not Russia.
Japan has China and Korea.
So can we leave things as is and prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
The NS proposal made here was more for bonding.So lets leave at that.
Further, it dismays me being descended from at least maternal side from the Malacca sultanate times that there is no attempt to discern the intention. Yes, there are legitimate arguments from both ends but the bottom line, is there mutual respect and pragmatism.
Frankly, there are more important fish to fry as ASEAN needs to prepare for the “peaceful rise” ? of both India & China.
Coming back to the above topic, primary and secondary education in Malaysia has worsened also due to the automatic throughtrain system when it should assist and built up the weaker students and based on consistent standards. There are 3 parts, parents who need to play a more active role and be main party responsible for their own child’s moral and civic standards. The teachers who hopefully should be guided by the potential world beaters who should be molded academically and socially. The government who should set the curriculum and the testing standards nationally and ensure better vetting of teachers and ensure every penny goes towards the education rather than the businesses by ensuring proper tender standards by a state by state process and ensure persons are held responsible.
Personally, hope that for funds wise, higher budget by say 10% for rural/small urban areas which hopefully if used wisely(considering lower standards of living) with strong PTAs would result in better students with a lifelong learning attitude.
Regards
Ajohore
December 9th, 2005 at 1:53 am
Creme de la creme schools that enrol only the best and above average students have its shortcomings. Ideally education should not promote elitism. School life is not about passing exams but prepare us for life to be sensitive to others, esp the less capable.
Tina, humanly possible is me. You have kindred spirit with MatMoto. Don’t hang out at Zouk coz I don’t want you to get caught at the wrong place. Nanti kena bogel and ear-squat. hehehe. Polis tak pilih sesiapa so long as cheap thrill is available.
December 9th, 2005 at 2:24 am
There is no shortage of remedial suggestions to improve the poor standard of education in general. Have we failed to recognize the main causes of the problem rather than merely fixing its symptoms?
We know various attempts have been tried in the past in vain, simply due to poor implementation or worse, political interference. A good example is the use of English to teach Maths and Science. Why has it taken so long before the government realized the importance of English? Is this not a case of politics, Ketuanan Melayu? The speed in implementing the use of English to teach Maths and Science without adequate preparation is political too!
We could go on harping how to improve Malaysian education including Malay College. But nothing will come off it without the political will to set these educational establishments free to the professional educationists to do what is necessary.
The reality is complicated by racial and religious issues permeating into very aspects of Malaysian society. If nothing changes, this is as good as it gets for Malaysia while others will pass us by in the globalized Market.
December 9th, 2005 at 3:58 am
Ogre 10-4 of the Califorinian Redwood Forest,
Monty Zain joined the Marines and served in Japan where he met a nice Japanese girl who later became his wife. He was the hero of Aloq Staq during my time, so were Senu Abdul Rahman and Syed Kechik Al-Bukhairy.
Both Senu and Syed went to the United States to study, making their way there by working on a US bound ship. It was pure adventure, which brought them our admiration. Guys from Kedah are quite special, don’t you think?
Monty’s brother, Sobri, is my good friend who started a legal firm together with Sheikh Kadir Fadzir (aka Kadiak), who is our Minister of Information in the Cabinet of “Pope” Badawi. Later Sobri became a businessman and Kadiak chose politics with business connections.
Monty may not remember me, but I certainly will never forget Monty of Alaq Stak, Kedah who was an adventurer in search of the better life. He showed us in sleepy Aloq Staq that there was an exciting world beyond our kampong. Monty wrote a book on his exploits and his life in the United States. He truly earned his stripes. Please send him my salams.
Humanly,
I knew Jimmy Boyle personally. He was also a good friend of my cousin, crooner Ahmad Daud. Jimmy was an accomplished composer (one of his compositions is Putra Puteri, a classic today). He had a great sense of humour, but was a demanding musician and musical director. The last time I met him was in Seremban at a party for our sports people. That was in 1967, before I left for the United States to further my studies.
To our fair ladlies,
All the women are welcome, but remember we are serious here in our exchange of views with occasional tales of a bygone era when we were all able to mix freely. Today we tend to think that we should stay away from the kafirs. Is that progress? To me that is regression…go ahead then a go stand.
Thanks.
December 9th, 2005 at 4:06 am
Marianne and Jong,
Looking for young studs and for excitement, just to log on to singles anon. You can also meet them at Zouk, Jalan Ampang. But beware our mata mata, especially mata mata wanita, who enjoy doing an Engkand on you. Don’t Badawi more work. He will have to start another inquiry. Hehe! hehe!! Thanks.
December 9th, 2005 at 4:07 am
Correction: “Don’t give Badawi more work”
December 9th, 2005 at 5:28 am
DinM, you seems all too familiar with the goings-on, guess you enjoyed the video clip tremendously. I’m sure Badawi don’t mind a lil more work, might help push his adrenaline to max!
December 9th, 2005 at 6:31 am
i used to ply my trade along jalan alor (no, this one is not in aloq setaq) - not having had the opportunity of a decent education and all.
but with all this furor over the “ear-squatting” and all, it reminds me of the time when a policewoman made me squat naked in the lock-up. compared to what i was made to undergo, the chineses maiden who was forced to “ear squat” revealed her inner thoughts only upon her release - not so in my case. i brought ill winds to my captors who were intent on humiliating me for my lack of masculinity. after that they never bothered me again.
by the way, why did they bother to make her hold her ears - when they were least interested in punishing her ears?? i am quite sure there is no parallel between the “ear squatting” we were made to do everytime we failed to do our homework and the “ear squatting” this unfortunale soul was made to do. we never felt vulnerable and exposed when doing the “ear squat” during class - though i must admit there was a sense of humiliation.
December 9th, 2005 at 6:37 am
P.S>
the equivalent of jalan alor in aloq setaq, i am told, is jalan selak kain about which din merican may be more than slightly acquainted.
December 9th, 2005 at 8:20 am
Bro Din
I will convey your salams to Monty when I see him next. What happened to Hisham, Sobri and Kadir? I guess the drive for RM is stronger huh. By the way Monty’s wife is still with him and he has 2 sons, great people.
Yes people from Kedah are special, maybe because of the Siamese influence. Siem Reap and Apsara the dancer comes to mind.
I met Bang Kadiak some time ago (inbetween marriages) He was busy chaperoning his children. He remains the flamboyant mister Bow Tie along with Shahrom Yob.
Anyway back to the great MCKK, MACOBA and Bro Anwar. Unlike the US the successful are great philathropy and donate tons of money to their alma mater to establish a scholarship in their name or build a building to add to the campus. Their generous donations don’t stop at universities and colleges. Some even build hospital wings to be named after them. I’m sure the exMCKK boys have made tons of money through their old boys connections but sad to see that they have not donated anything to MCKK to expand or improve its facilities. Guess they are so used to being spoon fed and expect handouts from the government all the time.
December 9th, 2005 at 9:26 am
Ogre,
Hisham Sobri & Kadir is still alive and kicking now with approx 30-40 lawyers headed by Tengku Dato Hasmuddin (new Msian power broker? not sure, just heard from the grapevine).
December 9th, 2005 at 10:10 am
dek tinah pun lawyer tau?!
graduate from UKM. second upper honours. dulu dek tinah kerja dengan one well known firm (in KL lah mana lagi?) with a number of datos and one tan sri.
that tan sri (at the time dato only) one day called me to his ‘chambers’ and grabbed me, forced me on to his lap. he has earlier asked me to join him on his trips to singapore - of course i declined. he is a married man. i hear his wife threw him out of the house (not because of me). he went on to live in an apartment in bangsar.
nasib dek tinah lah - selalu getting involved with married men (all lawyers) in their mid 40s. yang 60an tu belum lagi lah.
one day the wife of this lawyer (partner of the firm) came to office you tau…!!! dia bawa daughter dia yg berumur 21 tahun, dan call dek tina “slut”. true story tau. bukan bohong.
apa nak buat nasib badan.
i dont trust married men. semua sama aje.
lebih baik i kawan dgn mat moto. mat punya harley davidson. we used to hang out at hard rock cafe.
December 9th, 2005 at 11:11 am
Well, Tina, such hard-luck stroies are made for the movies, especially of the genre seen on our local tv. Girl works in a firm where boss is a dato. One day dato calls girl into his office and tries to seduce her. She refuses his advances. Dato gets angry and sacks her or datin gets angry and tells dato to sack girl or both get sacked.
Dato runs to corner and cries. Girl moves on gets a new job and becomes street-wise. From then onwards girl no longer trust men especially, datos and tan sris.
Very perdictable and very very Melayulah.
The perfect guy for the role of the lecherous dato is M Rajoli. He has that kind of roving eyes ever present in guys of Tina’s description.
December 9th, 2005 at 5:55 pm
Tina
Imagine where your career headed if you had agreed to be a “laptop” to the Dato.You might be senior partner by now then you can have your “boytoy”. By the way is the Dato a product of MCKK? I’d like to track the careers of MCKK alumnis. More storylines for the Malay Drama hasut series. 10-4
December 9th, 2005 at 7:01 pm
Jong,
I was with some good friends and their wives at a Karoake joint in Bangsar Shopping Complex last night. At the karoake, I sang my favorite Peggy Lee numbers, “I love to Get You on a Slow Boat” and “Ms. Wonderful”.
We then proceeded for a cup of coffee at the new Kuala Hilton where we enjoyed great music by a local jazz combo with a great singer (male). We were entertained to a selection of Santana, Sting, Nat Cole and Frank Sinatra songs, and stayed until 2.00 a.m.
Yes, I move around in clubs and great bars for a couple of drinks, especially red wine (grape juice) and some beer, with friends. We meet people, and observe human behaviour live. It is very interesting to watch women and study trends in their fashion. Now the hipster is the trend because they like to show their cute navel.
The Ummi types are always at home, oblivious to the great world out there, and yet wishing they are there. They are in a state of indecision(to go or not to go) and then finally blame Islam.
Actually, it is your niat that matters. But I recognise that people go to nite clubs with different motives, and some of the women, I suspect, would want to get laid by the end of the evening. After all, Saturday nite can be the “loneliest night of the week” (Sinatra) and people want to dance cheek to cheek, and do whatever comes naturally after that. One day, I might drop unnoticed in the place where Tina is the hostess/GRO, and watch the way she walks, talks,looks and moves her hips. Then I will know if she oozes with sexuality or not.
My lady friend, I have passed the stage of watching and enjoying videos. Maybe, you are at this stage of getting excited over them. I see no harm for you to have all kinds of sexual fantasies.This is part of the growing up process. It will be good for you to get rid of your repressed feelings.
I have seen the real stuff, so why I do not need to watch videos like that of the young Chinese lady doing the sqat barebreasted in bossa nova style? Surely, I can’t be that desperate like that female cop who must have wished that she had that the young lady’s looks and body. Are you?
Thanks.
December 9th, 2005 at 8:04 pm
hello ogre or ergo (spelt backwards).
how can a 62 yr old guy be my toyboy?? ( americans say “boytoy” because they don’t speak english). you got it backwards - just like your name.
encik fathol,
maybe so. it’s the stuff movies and dramas are made of. but it is true. dek tina di panggil “slut” oleh isteri. why?? married men get attracted to me. bukan salah dek tina.
that tan sri is not stupid to make me his partner. he got a wife. and i am too young to be partner of a leading law firm.
December 9th, 2005 at 9:29 pm
ummm…. getting very interesting, looks like we are now have bollywood stars, movie producers, under-cover headhunters, even repressed-radars!
Tina: sorry that you had to endure the pain of such name-calling. Console yourself and remember, being MEAN is cover-up for “insecurity”. There’s definitely something she hates about herself, that she needs to tear others down. Be wise, keep your spirits free and move on. You definitely deserve a better relationship than in that silly guy.
And DinM: I’m not desperate, just like you. Although I’m a little big - just +-70kg, I feel so good about myself. Still boleh joget with ease.
December 9th, 2005 at 10:44 pm
No offence meant, Tina. I was merely alluding to your storyline. It’s so typical of the numerous melancholic stories our Malay film industry churned since the days of P Ramli and L Krishnan.
M Rajoli plays the role of the lusty boss very well, as he is suited for such characters.
Looks can be deceiving. You were offered a partnership in a leading law firm and being young and naive, you accepted it without a thought. Had you only stopped to think the incident would not have happened. A lady lawyer friend of mine had the same experience. The boss’s wife was a partner. She could not tolerate her presence fearing her husband would go astray. So, she sacked her.
Jong has the perfect answer for you. You have an insecured woman using the the face-off, with her grown-up daughter in tow, as a means to get at her husband. You’re at the wrong place at the wrong time. It happens all the time.
My advice is to move on. I am sure MatMoto will take good care of you. After all, you only have his trusty two-wheeler to contend with.
Now, who says art does not imitate life?
December 10th, 2005 at 4:52 am
Wah, if I may add on to the script.
Tina got thrown out of her job. The Tan Sri being influential and well-connected, no firm dares to employ Tina knowing she was fired. As we say, successful lawyers are those who know the judge and the others who know the law.
That explains why Tina has to moonlight while in the day she freelances doing research for lawyers. Her sharp eye for details help to win cases. But cos she is only a backroom lawyer, she could not become as famous as Muhd Shaffee or Christopher Fernando.
Art imitates life. Many talented people remain in the backwater due to meeting the wrong people and offending the powerful.
MatMoto, I know you will be a consolation to Tina.
December 10th, 2005 at 6:47 am
thanks humanly possible,
at least somebody appreciates my services to the community - helping damsels in distress!
besides my motor repair business.
December 10th, 2005 at 7:03 am
Well, Tina let’s look at it this way…
At least the wife didn’t make you do the ear-squat naked in his chambers.
And there’s no point either in resorting to a civil suit to redress the ills of ear-squatting (to squat is bad enough for your health but to hold your ears and balance yourself…you need to be a contortionist of sorts), since the damage done to your reputation when a video tape later surfaces in the judge’s chambers will make your job as part-time GRO, permanent.
You don’t want that.
December 10th, 2005 at 7:10 am
P.S.
before the police made the infamous naked “ear-squatting” as standard entertainment and standard operating procedure for bored policemen and policewomen kept awake by those in their custody, the only squatting i knew was when a group of illegals took over state land to build their houses.
that is one quantum leap.
December 11th, 2005 at 6:28 am
MatMoto,
No doubt you are doing a great community service looking after damsels in distress. You are also very bohemian with your Harley Davidson.
I wish Tina all the best.
December 12th, 2005 at 1:12 am
Dear All,
when you guys discussed the schools that made you who presently are, and named many that actually withstood the test of time, I felt a tinge of nostalgia. Yes, we had the best teachers and the best games et al.
I thought so too of my time at school, until I was conscripted into an alumni association by my seniors who waxed lyrical about their times and basically told me that my revered alma mater was already in decline while I was there sitting for my HSC in the early 70’s. Talk about rose-tinted lenses to see through!
I guess for many of us, in our impressionable youth, the school was our world and nothing, quite nothing, comes close. Woe forbid if someone junior comes and tells us of his experiences at the same school. His times do not compare well with ours!
I guess what i wanted to say is “please have a reality check. Schools and their administration change with time - for better or for worse”. We simply need to make sure, for the sake of those that come after us, that the schools we speak of so fondly, cointinues to provide the same care and knowledge we were so lucky to have enjoyed.
I particularly enjoy the respite given by Matmoto and Tina among others in this blog. They remind us to not take ourselves seriously all the time. And Tina, a law graduate from UKM should be more than able to handle DOMs such as your former boss!
Pak Din, Abang Fathol and Ogre, thanks for reminding us of the more carefree era of the 50s, 60s and 70s. It is encouraging for people such a myself to see a connecting thread being silently but slowly sewn into this very interesting discussion.
I however have to agree with Ummi: where are the mckk boys?
December 16th, 2005 at 4:31 am
“…Malay College excelled only when it was the only residential school in the country. It thus represents a sorry metaphor for the Malay mentality, that is, to excel, there must not be any competition! Today’s insistence on rigid quotas and preferential policies by the Malay establishment reflects this ingrained mindset; thus no competition for UMNO’s top positions!”
This is quite below the belt, so to speak. The College definitely excelled and that fact should not be diminished just because it carries the distinction of being the only (first) residential school back then. That excellence has since deserted MCKK should not eclipsed the fact that it once produced (probably still is) the movers of the country.
To accuse the College of being a sorry metaphor for the Malay mentality is just not right as the College never intends to be one and should never intend to be one. In my assessment, your article offers nothing new except affording a chance to those people who just love to hate the College to further express their hate. And can you please explain the comparison between MCKK and the jostle for UMNO’s top position?
And yes, I am an Old Boy of the College.
July 12th, 2007 at 2:50 am
I m an Old Boy from Muar High School.
November 25th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
i’m an old boy frommuar high school and mckk
January 11th, 2009 at 9:52 am
i am from methodist school parit buntar. Fathol zaman, think we were once classmates