The affirmative action policies after the May 13 riots unfairly treated many non-Malay teachers and lecturers.
They
were sidelined for promotion. Non-Malay teaching staff at Mara colleges
and universities were dropped. Some left and sought work overseas,
while others taught until retirement or resigned and set up private
tuition centres.
Back then, teaching was a respected, noble
profession and one chose it because one cared for the children’s future
and to contribute towards nation-building.
Today, our universities
churn out thousands of graduates some of whom take up teaching only as a
last resort. They failed to qualify for other disciplines and teaching
was preferential to unemployment.
When
the British left Malaya, many Malaysians could speak English well. We
were the envy of Southeast Asia, possibly even the envy of Asia. At
universities abroad, our graduates were highly respected.
Soon after Merdeka, the Umno/BN administration politicised education and language became a very sensitive subject.
Promoting
Bahasa Malaysia was a vote winner with the Malay electorate and selfish
politicians were prepared to sacrifice our children's futures to
prolong their political careers.
In the 1970s, Tan Chee Khoon,
one of the founders of the Gerakan party, predicted the threat posed by
nationalists who opposed the use of the English language.
His prophecy has come true, and today, we reap the results.
In the 1970s, many gullible Malay parents believed in the propaganda of linking speaking English with patriotism.
Although
the decline in English proficiency cannot be attributed to one single
factor, the government’s affirmative action policy is perhaps a major
contributor.
The irony is that today, many Malays cry discrimination and complain about the difficulty of getting jobs in the private sector, or with multinational companies.
Dr Mahathir Mohamad dumbed down our education system in favour of affirmative action policies.
Muted voices
The decline began in the seventies.
Most of the former ministers like Razaleigh Hamzah, Musa Hitam, Rafidah, Anwar, Muhyiddin Yassin
and the older politicians will have foreseen the destruction which
Mahathir unleashed on Malaysians. Where were their voices then?
Why
didn’t senior civil servants and university heads speak out too? Today,
many of them are vocal about the decline in English. Yesterday, they
were mute.
Why didn’t prominent, influential Malaysians in
banking, business, and industry alert the then-PM and his cabinet? What
stopped them?
All of them were too busy climbing the greasy social and political ladder to reap the benefits/riches in post-Merdeka Malaysia.
They
are part of the problem and when one reads about their lengthy
suggestions in various WhatsApp groups, it is difficult to contain one’s
cynicism.
They were in power and could have done something about
it, but many preferred to protect their rice bowl. Today, we observe the
destruction caused by their apathy.
The affirmative action
policies damaged our education system. Pass marks were lowered. Limited
scholarships for non-Malays. Introduction of racial quotas.
Meritocracy
ignored. Speaking English is considered unpatriotic. Flip-flopping
between English and Malay for teaching Science and Mathematics. Poor
quality teachers.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek has made a mess of the Dual Learning Programme. Elite schools can ignore her latest DLP updates, but other schools must strictly abide by her rules.
If you want to destroy a nation, just tinker with the education system. It’s like watching a car crash in slow motion.
