Old Versus New (Promised) Malaysia
SEEING IT MY WAY
Malaysiakini.com June 28, 2007
Two school events, both widely reported, took place last week. One was the Speech Day at Malay College Kuala Kangsar, and the other, the graduation exercise at Kolej Yayasan UEM. The difference in the two events serves as a good metaphor distinguishing the old Malaysia from what I hope is the promise of a new one.
           The ceremony at Kuala Kangsar was graced by no less than the King, the Raja Muda of Perak (the school’s Governing Board Chair), and the Minister of Education. You could not get a more distinguished company of visitors than that. Meanwhile KYUEM had such nondescript corporate figures as UEM Chairman Ahmad Tajuddin Ali and its Foundation Trustee, Sheriff Kassim, in attendance.
           At Malay College’s Speech Day, there was no mention of the achievements of the graduating students, specifically which great universities they would be attending. There was a reason for this noticeable absence. None of the students qualified for university admission directly. They would first have to go to a “finishing school†elsewhere.
The headmaster at KYUEM proudly announced that 11 of his 183 graduates would be heading for either Oxford or Cambridge. In the preceding year, a fourth of his students secured admissions to Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College, and London School of Economics, an achievement any British grammar school would be very proud of. In the area where it counts, in fact the only valid currency for a school – the quality of its graduates – KYUEM easily trumps the venerable MCKK.
It is revealing that the item that received the biggest applause (according to a news report) was the King’s announcement that the minister had approved a new hall for MCKK!  In his speech, the King suggested that other schools emulate MCKK. I respectfully suggest to His Majesty that Malay College should instead emulate KYUEM.
The Old Malay of MCKK
MCKK, established over 100 years ago, had pretensions of being the “Eton of the East.â€Â It is formal, resistant to change, and slavishly hanging on to “traditions.â€Â Even the school motto is in affected Latin, Fiat Sapienta Virtus. Query the school’s alumni, students and teachers; few would know what it means. In short, Malay College epitomizes the old Malay ethos, obsessed with symbols and pretensions but devoid of substance.
KYUEM on the other hand is less than a decade old. Its mission statement, or motto if you will, is elegant in its simplicity and clarity, “To Educate, Not Simply Teach.â€Â No pompous Latin phrases. And they – trustees, teachers, and students – have done an excellent job at it. They embody the good and the promise of a new Malaysia. Specifically, those Malays at KYUEM are my model of Melayu Baru (New Malay).
Before elucidating further the differences between MCKK and KYUEM, it is important to note that despite their “college†labels, both institutions are basically residential secondary schools. In case of Malay College, it is not even that. Since its graduates cannot enter university directly, MCKK is essentially a glorified middle school.
The foremost difference is that MCKK is a public institution, totally dependent on the allocations from the ministry. Despite its roster of luminaries as “old boys,†their contributions to the school are miniscule to nonexistent. The only time they visit their alma mater is to harass the headmaster for decisions they do not like.
KYUEM is a private institution, dependent on tuition and donations for its survival. As such, it has to produce to satisfy its customers – students and their parents. The school is not interested how many sultans, ministers and other luminaries it counts among its alumni rather which universities will accept its students next year. Malay College is fixated with its past, Kolej UEM is confidently poised for the future.
Malay College is an all-Malay institution; KYUEM’s student body reflects the rich diversity of Malaysian society. Malay College students would carry their cultural insularity into their adult life. KYUEM’s students on the other hand have a much richer and more meaningful learning and living environment because of the diversified enrollment. They would definitely be better prepared for this globalized world.
Examine the Leadership
While everyone in an organization contributes to its success, the crucial differentiating point is leadership. KYUEM trustees are from the business world, individuals attuned to recognizing a need in society and then fulfilling it. In contrast, the Minister of Education appoints MCKK’s governing board. They are thus men with the mindset that there is no problem that a government cannot solve. The sinister corollary to this is that the government must control everything; it knows what is best for you and me, and our children.
Consequently, MCKK’s curriculum follows that the ministry’s rigid prescription, right down to the textbooks. KYUEM opted for global standards and chose the best traditions of British grammar schools. When there are no locals with sufficient experience with such a system, the trustees do not hesitate in hiring an expatriate. They do not have any negative lingering anti-colonial hang ups, or fear that the hiring of a foreigner would be viewed as a slight on the abilities of the natives. Those trustees are interested only in what is best for their students.
KYUEM’s outgoing headmaster, Richard Small, is an Oxford graduate; his successor, John Horsfall, is a product of Cambridge and a PhD-holder to boot. I gleaned these facts from the news reports of the graduation exercise. In contrast, at Malay College’s Speech Day there was no mention of who was the headmaster. That was the degree of respect the headmaster commanded, or was accorded. The King and the other distinguished visitors hogged the limelight. They were obviously more important than the headmaster, teachers, or students.
I am certain that the MCKK’s headmaster must glow in having the King, Raja Muda and the Minister grace his school’s function. Richard Small on the hand could hardly contain his pride in his students’ achievements. How revealing of the different priorities at the two institutions!
Leadership alone is not enough. The students do not see the trustees and headmaster every day in the classrooms. It is the teachers who are there for the students. “The most important learner in the classroom,†noted Headmaster Small, “is the teacher, because if the teacher is not constantly learning and changing, how can he be a competent role model for student learners.â€
The caliber of the faculty at KYUEM is impressive, many with graduate degrees including PhDs. Its biology teacher, Norhayati Zainudin, is a graduate in Veterinary Medicine from a local university.
Impressive degrees mean nothing if the teacher cannot teach. My biology teacher at Malay College had a PhD from a Punjabi university. He was next to useless. Fortunately, my physics and chemistry teachers in the persons of Mr. Malhotra and Mr. Norton more than took up the slack in teaching and guiding us.
Readers might be puzzled to know where I garner these facts about KYUEM. Easy, from its website (www.kyuem.edu.my). It has a wealth of information useful not only for potential students but also for web visitors like me.
I tried to surf Malay College’s website. The operative word there is “tried.â€Â There are many such sites claiming to be the “official†website, many hosted by “freebie†servers and consequently cluttered with advertising banners. On one site, its “Students Achievements†page was last updated in 1999!
Malay College is embarking on its “Sayong Project,†billed to take it into the new century. MCKK is also eagerly seeking ties with residential schools in other countries. I humbly suggest that MCKK looked closer to home, just a few miles south at Lembah Beringin.
Malay College epitomizes the feudal Malay system still very much alive under the veneer of modernity. Meanwhile those folks at Lembah Beringin represent the new Malaysia, confident of their heritage and at ease with the modern world.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Dr. Bakri,
I visited the KYUEM website. I agree. It is an impressive modern school with a progressive curriculum and a clear mission. Not only MCKK, but also VI and PFS (where I was a student) should adopt the KYUEM model.
We need to “Educate, not Simply Teach”. The problem is that very few educationists know the difference between these two apparently simple English words.
Reputation has to be earned the hard way. A good educational institution can’t rely on the reputation of others like royalty and our feudal lords. Thanks.
July 9th, 2007 at 12:30 am
Dr. Bakri,
I was right when I presume that KYUEM’s medium of teaching is English. I believe English is the language of learning. The other premier schools in Malaysia were great when they were using English as a medium of instruction. They became just another school when they embraced Bahasa Melayu (Malaysia) due to a change in government policy. Products from such school are only fit to enter local Malaysian public universities whatmore the private ones. Look at their prerequisite for entry, at least an A2 for English. But an A2 for English in Malaysia doesnt mean that they are proficient enough in the use of the language.
My sons obtained such credentials but cant even converse in English. Put them in KYUEM and I doubt they would be able to glean much knowledge from the teachers. Otherwise they will have to struggle just to scape through. They must first be given a solid basic education in English from form one onwards before they are ready to join KYUEM.
We are churning graduates from the public universities without a care to the quality. Once out of the university they will find it hard to get employment due to lack of confidence and with barely an ability to communicate in a universal language. Give them a good education in English and I tell you, the world will then be the stage for them to perform.
July 9th, 2007 at 1:27 am
Sdr. Zawawi,
We are all aware of the problems with our education system and can be sure that the bureaucrats and the political bosses know them too. Why aren’t we make any serious attempt to deal them in a holistic and comprehensive way. Do you have any explanation for this indifference?
Thanks.
July 9th, 2007 at 1:27 am
make to read “making”.
July 9th, 2007 at 1:29 am
How many progressive Malays can we find in Malaysia? I wish for more of those whose post and comments I read above. Otherwise, we are in trouble.
July 9th, 2007 at 1:48 am
Dr Bakri,
It is also good if they can also consider other top university from around the world, the US, Germany, Japan, France, and so on. The reason is that we are so engrossed with Cambridge and Oxford being a former British colony whereas there are other top institutions as well which can serve as platform to diversify our outlook in the world. I believe this diversity can strengthen Malaysia in its international relation.
Hopefully in the years to come they can also congratulate their student for being accepted into other equally well-known and top institutions from the US, France, Germany, Japan and so on to greater reflect the quality of their student.
Regards
July 9th, 2007 at 4:13 am
Are you suggesting that MCKK go private then, Bakri?
July 9th, 2007 at 4:52 am
Bro Din,
From the good Dr’s archives, I read that you once worked for Tan Sri Ghazali Shafie. I am at awe.
Do you still keep in touch with King Ghaz ? Why not prod him to write his memoirs ? Idiots with egos the size of cathedrals like Ibrahim Ali, Khir Toyo write theirs, surely a man of King Ghaz’s stature should write his.
July 9th, 2007 at 6:13 am
I didn’t understand the comparaison, one was a bygone public middle school and the other, an “elite” college where only the rich can afford to send their children in.
KYUEM is no doubt a very good school, given their RM60 000 yearly fee, they better be. If you want to compare, I humbly suggest that you choose something that the average joe can relate too.
July 9th, 2007 at 7:48 am
Dr Bak-reee-ee,
Salaam
Have you read this?
Florida raises ill-fated artificial reefs
By Jim Loney
Sun Jul 8, 8:35 PM ET
When people began dumping used tires in the ocean 40 years ago to create artificial reefs, they gave little thought to the potential environmental cost, or to how difficult it would be to pick them up.
“It was one of those ideas that seemed good at the time,” said Jack Sobel, a senior scientist at The Ocean Conservancy, a Washington-based environmental group. “Now I think it’s pretty clear it was a bad idea.”
Now, local authorities are going after ….[please click the following link for the full article. I have deleted it for copyright reasons. MBM]
“There’s little evidence that artificial reefs have a net benefit,” Sobel said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070709/sc_nm/reef_tires_feature_dc&printer=1;_ylt=Aq2Wl2FkuhBEZrgKrINsOmciANEA
Offer&Acceptance:
ONE sup torpedo besar, Hameeeed!!!
for Anak Penang
And for Bakri, Din Merican, Shrek, Fathol Zaman and Jong
Anytime you guys are in Penang.
(on me guys - serious; but tell me when you are coming so I can make the arrangements with Hamid Penang Road.)
July 9th, 2007 at 11:25 am
Mika Angel O
Thanks for the offer of a Sup Torpedo at Hameed’s. I might take up on your offer mighty soon. Awat tak habak hang anak mami? Nana dok lama terpikiak nak balun nasi kandak. Ada sup gear box tak?
Bro Din, how is that restoran daun pisang in USJ? Still patronising that place? Hows the curry kambing and tosai? I guess the kids at KYUEM are not enjoying the local food scene. I understand they are trained to eat steak and potatoes.
Education Ministers come and go and they leave behind their legacy or rather their crappy policies. Remember who was the Minister of Education when Bahasa Malaysia became the medium of teaching? Now we have to pay for the “lost generation” Graduates who are neither here nor there. Just like the artificial reef created with used tires (Thanks Mika) we now discover that it was not the best thing. Remember life is a video camera not a snapshot. Decision made at one point in time may be the best but information change and the “best” decision becomes a not so good decision. Thus we need to think long and hard and simulate ageing and see it what we plan to implement will stand the test of time.
July 9th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
Leiku,
Tun Ghazalie(Ghaz) Shafie was a great boss and a wonderful and colorful personality in my opinion. I served as his Special Assistant in the 1960s and acted as his liaison with our military intelligence, British intelligence, and our Special Branch (where I worked with Tim Hatton and the outstanding Haniff Omar [now Tun]).
Tun Ghaz had a huge influence as my intellectual mentor. He exposed me to Machiavelli, Bismarck, Matternich, Castlereagh, Lord Palmerston and Harold Nicolson, Anthony Eden, John Foster Dulles, and Dean Acheson, for example. Charles de Gaulle too.
In 1960’s, he insisted that his “boys” wrote and spoke the language of diplomacy, Oxford English, not Syed Nasir ands Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka’s Bahasa Kebangsaan. Tun Ghaz encouraged all of us to read voraciously beyond our fields of interests. He said he needed well rounded and confident diplomats. I will, therefore, be eternally grateful to him.
I have not seen Tun Ghaz recently. He is now in his eighties. He once told me that he had nothing to apologise or boast about his life and work. So, he will not write his memoirs.
But while he was a Distinguished Research Fellow at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Tun Ghaz wrote his “Memoirs on the Formation of Malaysia” and compiled his speeches into a book which was also published by UKM Press. You can buy them at the UKM, Bangi, or at the Universiti Malaya Co-op Bookstore, Lembah Pantai.
Over the years, Tun Ghaz and I remained in touch and we exchanged books and journals. When I was in Cambodia, he visited me in 1995 and we had a very good chat about the good old days when Malaysia had to deal with Indonesia’s Konfrontasi (1963-1966). He then had a small team of young,dedicated and competent Foreign Service Officers.
Little is known that Tun Ghaz was one of the founding fathers of ASEAN, although he was in 1967 only a Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. When he became Minister of Foreign Affairs in the 1980’s, Tun Ghaz was behind Malaysia’s support for Norodom Sihanouk in the latter’s efforts to regain the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of Cambodia. Both he and Sihanouk are great friends.
I also served with the late Tun Ismail Mohamed Ali, a Cambridge educated economist and Middle Temple trained lawyer, at Bank Negara Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad, a medical doctor from Kedah, at FIMA and former Minister of Finance, Tun Tan Siew Sin at Sime Darby. At Bank Pertanian Malaysia, I worked with a brilliant US trained economist, Dr. Agoes Salim. They were all very demanding bosses who did not suffer fools easily. I suppose I was very lucky.
You can now understand why I have become very impatient with Prime Minister Badawi. I think, after waiting for nearly four years to see some real action, not hot air, from him, I have the right as a citizen to be very disappointed in the man.
Shrek,
Yes. You can still meet me at the Seri Devi at USJ (Section 14) on Sunday morning for tosai, roti chanai, or nasi lemak bungkus and tea tarik. You and Mika, our anak mami, can join me there, except when I am travelling overseas.
It is not what you eat, it is what your brain is fed with that makes the difference. The boys and girls at KYUEM enjoy a mental diet of high quality liberal education. So that they are able to think for themselves and can excel to become leaders in their chosen professions.
Mika Angel-O,
Hang boleh salah (you can blame) Tan Sri Sanusi Junid for using old tires!! But to be fair to him, Pak Sanusi cannot be blamed for what seemed to be a great idea at the time. So nothing stays the same.
On that score, we cannot blame Tun Mahathir for the use of Bahasa Malaysia as medium of instruction in our universities. It seemed a great idea at the time to most Malays at least. It made people like Professor Emeritus Nik Safiah, Dr. Firdaus Abdullah and other language nationalists very influential and gung-ho. We are always wiser with the benefit of hindsight.
I stuck to English without losing my Bahasa, nor did I compromise my mamak Merican identity in the process. As Mika would agree, a mamak is always a mamak, right?
Anak Penang, quality comes at a price. Invest peanuts, you get beruks.
Thanks.
July 9th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Thank you, DR BAKRI; and, jang, you are focussed.
As Sobel said…
LAA MAMAK! MANA NASI KU?
Do you have to be a mamak
to enjoy life?
I must and will love my mamak when
my Mamak he loves me
And where would Tun Hasmah be
without one?
Yes, a Mamak is always himself
and right most of the time.
even if
hidung TunM tidak
semancung
should I blame anyone
but me when I tried
only my Mamak won’t
wa la taziroartun waziroartun wizron ukhraa
Laa eelaha illa ana
wa muhammadurr saiyidul mursaliin
assolawaatuwassalaam ‘alaihi
wa ‘ala alihi wa sohbihi wa soliheen ajma’in
July 9th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
Did you, Din Merican or anyone see the Airbus?
That is a monkey of a ride, isn’t it?
Cheers.
July 10th, 2007 at 4:59 am
Bro Din,
Kind of sad that he doesn’t want to write his memoir. It would be safe to presume that he has a treasure trove of experience and knowledge to impart. He would have seen and heard quite a lot of interesting going ons in the country and in the asian region.
For some strange reason, he is like Kissinger to me.
Orang yang banyak pengalaman macam dia tak nak tulis buku, jadi future generation of Malaysians have to rely on books written by and about dumb politicians. Imagine my horror when i stumbled upon a book written about Khir Toyo, “Dari Sungai Burung ke Bukit Megawati” by Chamil Wariya !! Whatever happened to Chamil Wariya ? Can’t imagine he would stoop that low !
I suppose we have to respect Tun Ghazali’s decision to keep his experience private. It is just too bad that for the time being, we are stuck with books about mediocre politician with illusions of grandeur.
By the way, thanks for the info, I will look for the book “Memoirs on the Formation of Malaysiaâ€
Wish I could echo your statement by saying….ahh those were the days.
July 10th, 2007 at 11:49 am
Dr Bakri
Salaam
I know this is way of base but I would like to read your thoughts.
HIV trial in Libya is criticized
By Elisabeth Rosenthal
Sunday, November 5, 2006
ROME: As five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor await a verdict in Tripoli on charges that they spread HIV to 426 Libyan children, hundreds of prominent scientists are rallying in their defense, calling for a new and fairer trial.
The nurses and doctor were foreign experts working at Al Fateh Children’s Hospital in Benghazi, Libya, in 1998, when an outbreak of HIV was detected at the hospital.
For years, the Libyan authorities, including the country’s leader, Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi, blamed the foreigners for the outbreak, suggesting that they had intentionally injected Libya’s children with the virus…
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/11/05/news/nurses.php
and Bernanake being academic on inflation, dude
July 10th, 2007 at 7:55 pm
Gua mahu tanya sama Jung:
Should they have killed the stupid, brave Imam of the Red Mosque in Pakistan?
Al-Fatihah to the ‘committed’ dude.
July 10th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
Let’s see Din Merican is up to this:
Euro reaches new all-time high above 1.37 dollars
AFP - Tue Jul 10, 3:04 PM ET
LONDON (AFP) - The euro hit a record high of 1.3740 dollars Tuesday amid worries about the US economy, underscoring a debate among European leaders about how much control should be maintained over the single currency.
http://news.yahoo.com/i/1203;_ylt=AhpoQ5HaK3xsQJgV7bl3e4xv24cA
and this is for Shrek:
http://www.econbrowser.com/archives/2007/07/iea_becomes_mor.html
and this is to you Bakri. I ran out of wine; and they say that I should do with Beefeater. Can you imagine that? oh and have you test drive one, dude? Hola!
DEARBORN, Mich. - The relatively quick-and-easy answer to foreign oil dependence and automotive greenhouse gas emissions is circling the grounds every day at Orlando International Airport in Florida, according to a top Ford Motor Co. official. It’s a utilitarian 12-passenger parking lot shuttle bus powered by a 6.8-liter internal combustion hydrogen engine, which Ford officials said is their hydrogen technology that’s closest to mass production.
“We really believe this technology is ready to be evaluated at the consumer level,” John Lapetz, the company’s program manager for the buses, told reporters on Tuesday at an event staged to tout Ford’s future vehicles.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070710/ap_on_bi_ge/ford_hydrogen;_ylt=An9StB9L6VWjXYbnkI7DK8uyBhIF
FBI is mining for gold and uranium with THE STAR and Bakri - YOU ARE IT!!!!
July 10th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Leiku,
By reading the “memoirs”, you can get a very good idea of what it took to convince Sabah and Sarawak to join Malaysia, and also why Brunei was not in Malaysia. You will also understand what it was like to be in the Foreign Ministry in the 1960s with this brilliant son from Kuala Lipis, Pahang at its helm.
Kissinger like? Dr. Henry A. Kissinger is small potato and, in fact, over-rated. While Kissinger was struggling to get on as an academic in Harvard, Tun Ghazalie was already in diplomacy.
Dr. Kissinger is an unrepentent self-promoter. You should read Robert Dalleck’s latest book (2007) tilted “Nixon and Kissinger” and Walter Isaacson’s “Kissinger” to find out more about the character of this German born neo-con realist cum admirer of Bismarck and Matternich.
I have a healthy respect for General George Marshall, John Foster Dulles and Dean Acheson. Compared to these men who led the State Department during World War II and 1950s, Kissinger is at best a sideshow.
Nixon and Kissinger’s policy on Indochina, for example, led to the rise of the brutal Khmer Rouge, the destruction of Cambodia and the eventual American defeat in Vietnam. Yet he is today courted by the media and the US foreign policy establishment for his expert opinion.
What can you expect from Chamil Wariya? He is a hired hand or “cari makan” journalist who writes glowing accounts of people like Khir Toyo and Imam Badawi. Some of our academics too are of the same mould. They all know nothing except to bodek and kipas. If I were you, I would not waste my time reading their books.
However, I would recommend Khoo Boo Teik’s “The Paradoxes of Mahathirism” (London: Oxford University Press, 1995) and John Hilley’s “Malaysia: Mahathirism, Hegemony and The New Opposition” (London: Zed Books, 2001) and books by K.S. Jomo (now with United Nations) and Terrence Gomez on Mahathirian Economics.
John Hilley, for example, provides a theoretically informed and insightful analysis of the Mahathir project. He examines how Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed has translated the basis of the ruling bloc’s legitimacy from coercive domination and ethnic card-playing into a consensual form of hegemonic support. Hilley looks at Mahathir’s strides in using developmentalist strategies, a language of post-ethnic nationalism, and the prospect of expanding social rewards.
At the risk of getting another poem from Mika Angel-0, I would suggest you also read Dr. Bakri’s “The Malay Dilemma Revisited” and “Towards a Competitive Malaysia” (2007) and those written by Tun Dr. Mahathir himself, especially his “The Way Forward”( Kuala Lumpur: Pelanduk, 1997).
By reading these books, you will have a better understanding of, and a more balanced view of the former Prime Minister. Jong and Abangcina should also be exposed to them so that they would be temperate, circumspect and balanced in their condemnation of Tun Dr. Mahathir.
Stay in touch, Leiku. I encourage to continue to contribute our exchanges in Dr. Bakri’s webblog.
July 10th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
Yo Bake n’ Shake!!
what the frigging bj is this?
Mika Angel-0 Says: Your comment is awaiting moderation.
July 10th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
Patriots Act?
Ooooh, caan’t you seeeee…
July 10th, 2007 at 8:28 pm
Lekiu,
Necafe banyak-banyak before and when you go thru:
Khoo Boo Teik’s “The Paradoxes of Mahathirism†(London: Oxford University Press, 1995) but it is ok
July 10th, 2007 at 10:41 pm
“Should they have killed the stupid, brave Imam of the Red Mosque in Pakistan? ” - Mikal Angel-O
- why not, good riddance to such threats to mankind! What better way to be met by the 72 virgins at heaven’s gate?
July 10th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
Should be:
“What better way to go, and be met by ……”
July 10th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
Thanks Mika for the link. LA used to have the dirtiest air in the US but now with the largest clean air Metro fleet powered by NGV the air is getting better and cleaner each year. Next step is getting rid of deisel locomotives and cleaner burning diesel engines for the trucks. Hope Malaysia will follow suit.
July 11th, 2007 at 4:04 am
Jong,
Thank you. You’re cool.
What about this:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070711/ap_on_re_mi_ea/libya_bulgaria
but I appreciate your thoughts on this:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070710/ap_on_re_mi_ea/al_qaida_tape
They will do it. How do you make them change their mind - to bomb - and yet have their day with Rushdie?
July 11th, 2007 at 6:49 am
Hello Mr Bakri
When comparing two things, we should compare like with like. In this case it doesn’t make sense to compare MCKK with KYUEM as they are not alike. MCKK is a secondary school offering education from Form 1 to Form 5 while KYUEM only accepts SPM graduates and teach pre-U studies such as A-Lvls. Therefore, it would be expected that KYUEM would be better than MCKK.
In terms of quality of graduates, of course you would expect the calibre of graduates of KYUEM would be better than MCKK as KYUEM students have gone through 2 additional years of learning, KYUEM accepts only SPM graduates while MCKK is a “middle school” as it only teaches up to Form 5.
I do concur that KYUEM is an excellent institution, why so? Well because it is a private instititution and therefore high standards would be expected of it as the tuition fees are quite expensive compared to MCKK which is a govt-sponsored residential school. Furthermore, a substantial part of KYUEM students there are actually sponsored students so you would expect the majority of them to score highly. MCKK only accepts those who performed UPSR and in a few cases PMR well.
KYUEM is not really a residential “secondary school” as it only accepts those who finish SPM and teaches only their pre-U studies roughly 2 studies so in the overall picture, I would think KYUEM’s influence is relatively small.
KYUEM is private while MCKK is govt-owned. So you would expect the private institution would outperform the govt-owned owns.
Another question is that is it wrong to folllow the Ministry of Education curriculum? MCKK is a secondary school, thus you would expect it to follow the MoE curriculum, if it is wrong then are you suggesting that we’ll change all our secondary schools’ to something else that is “following the best traditions of British grammar schools”? Then where is the Malaysian identity involved??
About trustees not being xenophobic and willing to hire expatriates, well I’m sure MCKK (or any school for that matter) will love to do so if they have the money to do so. Again as KYUEM is private and demand high fees from students, you would expect them to be able to pay high wages for its teachers, thus they can afford to hire expatriates and top-quality staff. Comparing the calibre of staff between KYUEM and MCKK is irrelevant as the level of education taught is different (again comparing like with like).
About the website, sure the KYUEM website is impressive, but for MCKK do we expect a normal secondary school to have a website to have an updated website? (as that is what MCKK essentially is) I don’t really think so.
So just to sum it up, it is unfair and misleading to compare MCKK and KYUEM as they are different institutions that cater to different levels of education, MCKK from Form 1 to Form 5, and KYUEM after Form 5 only. A fairer comparison would be I guess between MCKK and Kolej Yayasan Saad (KYS) who are both secondary schools.
July 11th, 2007 at 7:44 am
Dear All:
In comparing MCKK and KYUEM, I am fully aware that the two are not the same. That is why I am comparing them. If they are the same there is no point in comparing.
My point is this: We should not be satisfied with MCKK being a “middle school.” Instead it should prepare its students for the elite universities. If it does not, then who should?
There is no rule saying that government-operated facilities must be inferior to private ones. In Canada public schools and universities are superior to private ones.
As for costs, can anyone estimate the cost of running MCKK? The figures I have suggest that MCKK costs as much as KYUEM. Just because it is free to the students does not mean it does not cost money to operate.
M. Bakri Musa
July 11th, 2007 at 8:35 am
Dear Dr Bakri,
Salaam
Eton of the East
I respectfully suggest to His Majesty that Malay College should instead emulate KYUEM. - MBM
Finally, some words from you on this matter. Alhamdulillah.
I agree with you.
Now, as I see it, wouldn’t it be wonderful when there be a ‘finishing school’ added to the old MCKK with excellent students from MCKK and others on ‘royal’ scholarships from the all the States regardless of race or creed and then they when they have proven their salt be allowed to further their studies in their choosen field in ‘Ivy League’ universities of their choice - there be counselors to guide them here. This preparatory school, it should also allow other students with ‘their own funds’ - both Malaysians and non-Malaysians who wish to enroll do so subject to the approval of the board of govenors that is made up of Their Majesties.
However, the enrolment should be very limited - it would be an ‘elite’ establishment. http://www.etoncollege.com/default.asp
To pursue and facilitate this serious matter, I would respectfully suggest to you to suggest to Their Majesties that Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah or others of his calibre be appointed as official Royal Financial Advisor - in this matter and other matters.
That is the rough diamond of the idea that I have in mind.
July 11th, 2007 at 10:36 am
why not compare MCKK with its neighbour, the Clifford school? i’m an old Cliffordian by the way, heheh..
July 12th, 2007 at 11:12 am
Anak kecil main api,
terbakar hatinya yg sepi,
air mata darah bercampur keringat,
bumi dipijak milik orang.
Nenek moyang kaya raya,
tergadai seluruh harta benda,
akibat sengketa sesama lah kita,
cinta lenyap di arus zaman.
Indahnya bumi kita ini
Warisan berkurun lamanya
hasil mengalir ke tangan orang lain
peribumi merintih sendiri
Kini kita cuma tinggal kuasa,
yang akan menentukan bangsa,
bersatulah hati, bersama berbakti,
pulih kembali harga diri.
Kita sudah tiada masa,
majulah dengan maha perkasa,
janganlah terlalai, teruskan usaha,
Melayu kan gagah di Nusantara.
July 12th, 2007 at 11:08 pm
Kalau keadaan sudah genting mengapa maseh berpantun, ambil tindakan positif lah. Pantun hanya akan menghayal umat sahaja. Sedeh amat sedeh Melayu maseh nak berpantus mendodoi dan menghayal.
Keluar berramai ramai dan luahkan perasaan tidak senang hati terhadap keadaan sekarang terutama sekali korupsi dan penyelewengan dalam kerajaan. Minta tukar kerajaan, tukar sebelum ditukarkan.
Pantus dan sajak tidak akan menukar sikap kerajaan dan juga ahli ahli Parlimen yang korup, pentadbiran yang korup. Kalau anda sayangkan negara Malaysia dan sedar akan masa depan rakyat dan negara, maka ambil tindakan sekarang.
July 13th, 2007 at 10:01 am
Dear Din Merican
Your old school has a big field with angsa trees. Beautiful real estate.
I wonder if it is good for horses and robocops to roam free.
Cheers.
July 13th, 2007 at 10:05 am
Dear Armandd,
Is the Haji still pushing good cendol and is that shop near the river still has bronze finger ornaments for made to orders?
Does Shrek have a hard jaw, I wonder?
July 13th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
Mika
I’m no shark. My jaws are not hard but have seen enough action in my younger days. Somewhat been there and done that. Now in my old age I can only encourage the young people to determine their future by using their brains.
July 13th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
Shrek,
Salaam
Ad idem;
Don’t make me love you, Shrek.
Oh, please don’t make me love you.
Hey, Shrek, the candle’s nearly out!
(Just when i was reading theSun
it about washington and bribe
and it was friday the 13th)
July 14th, 2007 at 3:56 am
Dr Bakri
Salaam
i’m gonna have a gedik-gedik time with the other twin
sitting on a bench in the tranquile seclusion green
dressed in mood sombre, the color of an alter ego free
not caring the muffled roars of the lions from under another tree
comfortable and cool and enjoying whisper of the gentle breeze
July 14th, 2007 at 6:01 am
i haven’t seen the haji for a long time, and the cendol stalls were long gone, been replaced by a food court near the river. i’m not sure about the bronze finger ornaments..
July 14th, 2007 at 6:49 am
Riverine Reverie
The quiet little jetty at the far side of the parking lot of the istana.
The view is wonderful.
The river up and down - and across it you may see some kerbaus and kids playing. The breeze.
“Ada makan?”
The empty tarmac, such a wide open space that was a field.
The gold dome. When will the sultan call it home?
July 14th, 2007 at 6:53 am
Mika
In Washington DC they catch the Senators and other politicians and indicte them some for bribery and others for sex scandal. How many Malaysian politicians have been indicted for corruption or sex scandal?
In China they charge the head of Food and Drug administration in May, trial in June and Death in July. Swift justice for someone that harms the nation, accept corruption while holding a public office. I’ve yet to see a Malaysian politician or public official suffer similar fate. Many Malaysian have been exposed but “close one eye” still building the Mansion for all 11 family members and “going to umrah with the PM” make racist remarks and utter words not fit for Parliament and yet rewarded with more datukship and even appointed Minister.
Oh Malaysia I weep for you. Oh Malaysia tanah tumpahnya darahku, Oh Malaysia tanah Melayu tapi sekarang yang banyak berhijrah adalah orang Melayu.
July 15th, 2007 at 8:00 am
Can Malaysia have something like this?
http://www.gregpalast.com/
July 25th, 2007 at 8:30 am
Assalamualaikum Dr. Bakri…
Just one litttle correction. Mr. Small, the ex-headmaster, is
Cambrige’s product, and the new headmaster is Oxford’s graduate, not the other way around.
2 years in KYUEM has indeed nurtured me to become a more matured, all-rounded and productive person, compared to my 5 years in a so-called elite residential school (not MCKK). I find reading ur article about this comparison is very intriguing, and just.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:03 am
Bakri, are you suggesting that all schools should do A-Level instead of SPM, just like KYUEM?
February 24th, 2008 at 2:21 am