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YOUR OPINION | ‘Wan Fayhsal, will you open exclusive bumi learning institutions to all the inhabitants of M’s?’
The head of the Youth of Bersatu wants to abolish vernacular schools
Business first: What unit is the Bersatu Youth Chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal talking about when only a certain race and religion, as far as he is concerned, can be the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice, the Governor , the attorney general, the finance minister, etc.?
Otherwise, there will be a great uproar citing race and religion as reasons for denying others an equal place at the table.
What unit are you talking about when only a certain breed receives discounts on property purchases and special privileges for loans or investments?
What unit are you talking about when civil service, police, military, immigration lack diversity because one is promoted and recruited based on considerations other than merit?
Merit should be the sole criterion in most cases, but even dear senator would agree that this is not happening in Malaysia, right?
What unit are you talking about when certain races are unable to enter the university of their choice despite having excellent results and then must pursue their dreams abroad because less deserving others can enter due to their preferred status.
What unit is he talking about when government-linked businesses are largely operated and run by a certain preferred race?
Even many of those in Sabah and Sarawak, who are supposed to be bumiputera, live in poverty. Let’s not even talk about the poverty among the Orang Asli.
My father was in the police. He fought against the communists. He was shot in the line of duty while patrolling through the jungle. He was injured and received a medal from Agong. He is neither Malay nor Muslim, but he has shed blood for Malaysia.
However, the current police force is unrecognizable to him. There used to be diversity: Malays, Indians and Chinese. Now we have a monolith.
So yes, Wan Fayhsal, there are impediments to unity, but you are looking in the wrong area.
Siva1967: Like it or not, I agree with Wan Fayhsal. My generation grew up not attending vernacular schools (at least most of us), and to this day we have friends of various ethnicities.
Not that such schools are a nightmare for national unity, but they somehow contribute to the current situation.
We must embrace and promote the learning of one’s mother tongue, however this should be on our own and the government should not bear the responsibility.
Parents should be the sole party when deciding whether their children should learn their respective mother tongue or not.
The abolition of vernacular schools should not be viewed through a racial lens. If the situation here is so dire that drastic action needs to be taken, then the ax must fall on all those institutions.
If unity in this country is paramount, Wan Fayhsal should:
1) Open exclusive bumiputera learning institutions to all Malaysians, like UiTM (Universiti Teknologi Malaysia), boarding schools like MCKK (Malay College Kuala Kangsar) and other similar learning institutions.
2) Allowing the teaching of vital subjects in English to lead Malaysians to be competitive on the world stage.
3) Respect all Malaysians regardless of color and creed to practice their religion in the institutions mentioned above.
4) Award scholarships to all Merit-qualified Malaysians and be sponsored to universities abroad that have received many bumiputera students.
5) Allow and promote highly qualified Malaysians to the highest positions regardless of their race and religion in schools, law enforcement, etc.
I can name many more cases, but my point is that magnanimity must start from within. Take a higher moral ground by abolishing all this and show your sincerity in wanting a united Malaysia for all.
This is because you are the one in government and you and your colleagues can decide for the future of this country.
Anon25: Sure, abolish vernacular schools by all means, but do something useful instead. To change half of the current public schools to become middle-level English schools, with Bahasa Malay being a compulsory language subject.
The other half will remain the same as before the Malaysian mid-level schools. Let parents choose what kind of school their children should go to.
English, being a neutral language, can not only be a force to unite citizens, but it will also help those who study in these English schools to be able to communicate in an increasingly globalized world.
Dalvin K: Wan Fayhsal, shows how much he has lost contact with the common Malaysian.
Go to a vernacular school, particularly a Chinese vernacular school, it is a melting pot of various races. You will see that Malays and Indians are sending their children to these kinds of schools.
Pay close attention and you will see that there is no racism between them, they study and play together because they do not know what racism is at their age.
It is ironic that when Bersatu proposes to open up to members who are not Malays, it is closing the door for rakyat to study in a second or third language most widely used in the country.
GrayCondor1956: How myopic of Wan Fayhsal. On the other hand, if vernacular schools are abolished, will schools rank students based on merit?
Will Mara and enrollment be open to non-Malays? Will places be awarded at universities on merit? Will our level of education rise?
Do you know why many parents struggle to give their children a good education? You cannot play with the foundation of a child’s future.
You just talk. Your children are most likely in private schools. First, rectify what is wrong with our national schools.
Morning: Make national schools relevant again for all m’sianos
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