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Sakmongkol ak 47

ariff.sabri@gmail.com

Sunday 8 September 2013

UMNO's Thick Faces and Black Hearts



Mr Lim Kit Siang’s Political Secretary and the UITM Issue.
Mr Lim Kit Siang’s political secretary, Miss Dyana Sofia Mohd Daud drew the ire of UMNO politicians. The champions of the UMNO Malay cause condemned her for suggesting that a similar institution like UITM be set up to admit non Malay students. That is what you get when you UMNOnise every issue. Or on a larger scale you Malaynise every other issue.
Take the case of the usage of Allah issue. Do you think ordinary Malays in the kampungs care two hoots who use the term Allah? All they care is will their lives get better? Will the BR1M become an entrenched entitlement? As to Islam, as long as they get to pray in suraus and Mosques and no one threatens their religion that should be sufficient. Only those bigots in Putrajaya make the issue into something inflammatory because by championing this issue they get to show they can be uncompromising and drastic.  You get these when you meMelayukan Islam.
Except these UMNO heroes got it wrong. The young lady was not suggesting that UITM be opened to non-Malays. She was suggesting that an institution similar to the UITM model be established to admit poorer but qualified non Malay students. Two different things.
She knows UITM is sacred ground. The UMNO Malay supremacists will never allow anyone to touch UITM. Some even said, it can only be done over their dead bodies. Under the present climate where shootings appear to be common place, such a challenge may be a stupid thing to say in public. But then stupid is UMNO’s second name so we shall not even humour the person who said, over his dead body. We hope the person who says that will get elected into UMNO’s MKT- the decision making body. UMNO’s MKT will then become the abode of the mediocre and opportunists.
What is the ITM model- now UITM? It is a learning institution that once gave a second chance to poor Malay students who did not quite make the grade to continue their studies. The idea behind ITM then was not objectionable. Malay students came from poor background and from less competitive and less regimented supporting environment.  ITM provided that to Malay students- a chance for poor Malay students and a disciplined, regimented, supporting and competitive environment. Give them structure, and the Malays will strive. But let the structure be led and managed by high calibre people and the people under the structure will prosper. The problem we face in our country, social structures get led by opportunists and mediocre people.
If left to their own devices, in their passive and placid environment, where the achievement motives are low, only the most competitive and driven will thrive. Sadly, among Malays then, there were not many.
That was needed by Malay students- an externally induced environment with discipline and regimentation. . The results? Many excelled after being given a second chance proving that some students developed their mental and academic prowess later under supporting, regimented and competitive environment.
Nowadays, ITM which has now become UITM has become a premier learning institution where admission is highly competitive. Even if you are poor, your academic results must also be of a high standard. In certain courses, admission demands straight A’s. But UITM retained its core feature- a learning institution giving a second chance for qualified but poorer Malay students to get college and university education.
The essence of the UITM model- a learning institution admitting students from financially weak background is the issue here.  That part of the UITM model- a learning institution admitting poorer students appear to be the focus of Dyana Sofia’s suggestion.
In an interview, it was reported she felt sad that many of her non Malay fellow students could not continue with their studies due to financial constraints. Many cannot afford the cost of college education. She felt that in order to overcome the educational injustice the government should create an educational institution similar to UITM for non-Malay students.
The merits of Dyana Sofia’s suggestion can be argued in a calm and rational manner. As one commentator said, we don’t want an institution exclusively catering for one particular race- we want an open environment where students from all ethnic backgrounds can study equally. We don’t want a Chinese UITM. And then an Indian  UITM.
Unfortunately the responses from UMNO politicians sorely lacked these qualities. Beyond their irrationality and inflamed responses, the issue has revealed the darker side of certain UMNO politicians. I hope these people don’t get elected to office. This is what we get when mediocre people and opportunists are elected. If allowed to continue in office, these people will bring ill to this country.
What kind of dangerous thinking? Among ethnic groups, the group deserving kindness and passion are your own ethnic group. The others are treated dismissively and as digits. (2) Among a particular ethnic grouping the sub group deserving of kindness and passion is your own. Among Malays for example, the group deserving of assistance and privileges and entitlements is UMNO group.
Can we govern this country with this kind of thinking? Do we allow UMNO longevity?

27 comments:

Anonymous,  8 September 2013 at 11:29  

Pak Sak,

In fact I see more Malaysian is moving away from Malaysia which I think we are in critical stage of brain drain. In the recent election I am so much worry about what would happen if PR does not win and do the right thing but unfortunately the nightmare came through. At this stage, I don't ser the real direction of Malaysia. I don't see BN govt would change themselves. I cry Malaysia. Where we go from here?

Anonymous,  8 September 2013 at 11:43  

Salam, Datuk.

Eloquent yet uncompromising, as ever.

I was struck by the insight behind your phrase, "meMelayukan Islam". It is indeed a misappropriation of any religion for it to be misused by fake champions who do not live up to its noble teachings. That is mere hypocrisy.

Second point: A government, once voted into power, has no right to trample over those who voted against it, especially if that category outnumbers its own voters. The Indians, Malays, Chinese and others who delivered the 51% voice will not be relegated to serving the continuance of UMNO's money-making crony machine.

UMNO's current knee-jerk "tumpang glamour" on racial and religious issues is a desperate survival strategy to cling on after GE14.

That survival strategy does not give it the right to destroy the country's unity and threaten Malaysia itself.

It's this blinkered, selfish arrogance that makes their removal not just a worthy aspiration, but a national necessity.

Anonymous,  8 September 2013 at 13:57  

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought Uitm is open to muslim foreigners? If that is the case, why can't our own Malaysians study there? Why let foreigners enjoy the benefits that should go to all Malaysians?

Anonymous,  8 September 2013 at 22:48  

Many Muslim foreign students are mature, speak and write English fluently, they are really focused, well read, they are articulate in the respective course they major, provided that they are the cream of their respective nations, are only our Malay elite supposed to speak and write fluent English ?

bryan 9 September 2013 at 01:03  

The main problem is that the goons are constantly on the look out for topics that they can use to tell the gullible mindsets of Malays what to be angry at. which of course, as datuk eloquently puts it , they don't care 2 hoots about, sadly they respond on cue when their minds are manipulated to be outraged at this or that..by the goons who choose for them what/where they must direct their anger at..

bryan 9 September 2013 at 01:11  

The main problem is that the goons are constantly on the look out for topics that they can use to tell the gullible mindsets of Malays what to be angry at. which of course, as datuk eloquently puts it , they don't care 2 hoots about, sadly they respond on cue when their minds are manipulated to be outraged at this or that..by the goons who choose for them what/where they must direct their anger at..

Anonymous,  9 September 2013 at 07:34  

What a bullshit writing. You don't represent a Malay....but your political master DAP.... we'll pee on your grave....

bruno 9 September 2013 at 08:43  

Dato,when we have politicians who cannot differenciate between having an institution similiar to UITM and having other races in UITM is like having politicians not knowing the difference a donkey and a mule.

Anonymous,  9 September 2013 at 11:30  

Sorry bro,

UITM is not designed for other than those Malays who need tertiary education and it shall remain that way.Get the to join vernacular universities.

Anonymous,  9 September 2013 at 12:11  

Dato, I see no way out for Malaysia as long as UMNO and their kind remains in power. We will just see the country regressing at breakneck speed to the 19th century.

A few scenarios to ponder in the not too distant future ...
1. The United Nation will pass a resolution to condemn Malaysia for its racial discrimination policies, very similar to that of apartheid in South Africa.
2. Malaysia will become bankrupt and see IMF assistance. The people will suffer the consequences while UMNO and their cronies would pack up and leave the country with their stolen wealth.
3. The rest, I leave it to imagination.

Anonymous,  9 September 2013 at 13:04  

Dato Sak,
Actually Umnobaruaism is a cocktail of fascism(aka Hitlerism), Apartheid( copy bulat-bulat from Kierk South Africa- but majority race against minority race), feudalism( last resort battle cry- untuk RAJA, Agama dan Bangsa), Talibansm( Think of rabble rouser like Zulkitfli Nordin and ilks), Blackheartism( cheating, lying, stealing and killing without conscience- thought of Pot Pot), Bohongism( tell lies until they become the truth) and many other .ism too lengthy to list down here.
Somehow as one ages, one tend to discard bad habits and embrace good ones. However, Ameno becomes badder and badder as time passes, and we have't seen the worst of them yet.

Anonymous,  9 September 2013 at 13:38  

@anon 07:34:

When the going gets tough, the tough gets going, but the weak lose their manners. Am not surprised at all anymore that ill-mannered young Malays are beginning to betray their empty heads with vulgarities in blog spaces.

Do some deep breathing exercise three times a day to supply more oxygen to your brain for clear thinking.

Quiet Despair,  9 September 2013 at 18:19  

Hi Uncle Sakmongkol

Why do you set so much store for the 25-year old gal's ranting? I am around the same age. When I talk like her in defense of UMNO, there are people here who said chidingly "who cares what the budak hingusan" said. So the same can be said of her.
Why is she suddenly interested in UITM? Or for that matter, why are the Chinese suddenly hankering for an ITM-like education.
Isn't it the institution always described by most pro-opposition blogs as low class, fit only for Malays. Like you get a sneer when you go for interview
with hmm, ITM grad.
I get the onslaught of envy now. It's the only school whose medium of instruction is English. And many Malays who get good grades can't enter because of limited places. And you want quota for others?
Didn't the MCA set up something like UITM in Unitar. Only token Malays are accepted there. Exclusively for Chinese.
Where do Malays go if they cant get into UITM? Nowhere. Just shop-house community college or be mat rempit since they can't afford private colleges. Chinese have guilds, MCA, millionaires and big Chinese conglomerates to sponsor them to the premier private schools. Dont forget the foreign embassies.
Chinese also have family money to go there. "But why pay what, since Malays get scholarships."
This Dyana gal have not mixed around to know that the creme de la creme scholarships like Bank Negara, Petronas, Sime Darby, Tenaga, Telekom, KLSE, etc are mostly won by the Chinese. Same goes to the last-time looked down upon as lowly JPA scholarship. Ratio of Chinese and Malays are equal.
So apa mahu lagi?
Dyana, my sister, please read Usman Awang's sajak Majlis Amanah Rakyat. I am sure you understand Malay better than I do.

YB Sak, Please recommend me for the Malay male Setpol of Uncle Lim. I will give him a proper perspective.
Thanks. Have a good day. Cheerio.

Anonymous,  10 September 2013 at 01:16  

your words YB....Take the case of the usage of Allah issue. Do you think ordinary Malays in the kampungs care two hoots who use the term Allah? All they care is will their lives get better? Will the BR1M become an entrenched entitlement? As to Islam, as long as they get to pray in suraus and Mosques and no one threatens their religion that should be sufficient.

Good summation YB on the malay kampung mindset especially on "as long as they get to pray in suraus and mosques, then they dont care about non moslem using the term Allah"... very much in line with "Malay balik kampong la" call only that i didnt expect that to come from a Malay YB immaterial if its DAP, PKR or UMNO..i guess melayu mudah lupa

Anonymous,  10 September 2013 at 02:23  

@ 9 Sept 07:34,

anjing aje yg kencing di merata tempat, biasalah otak dah kena program !

سومڤيتن امس,  10 September 2013 at 09:22  

Q.D.:Didn't the MCA set up something like UITM in Unitar. Only token Malays are accepted there. Exclusively for Chinese.

Exactly right. But the fact remains, everyone in Unitar has to pay for being there, and for many it could mean contributions from two, three or sometimes four relatives. The token number of Malays there actually represents a laudable fringe group willing to pay like everyone else and not because of a whiff of racism at the registrar's office. That said, there is still a huge group of non-Malay youths, too poor to pay for tuition fees and living costs, and that is the reason why we see the thousands of youths selling handphones all over the country or in worse circumstances become runners for ahlongs.

The poor, more so the desperately poor in every society needs help, and the less we beat the racial drums to the cue of the political conductor's baton, the better we can resolve the problems of equitable distribution of educational opportunities.

S.E.

Anonymous,  10 September 2013 at 13:13  

Its because YB represent all Malaysian.

Anonymous,  10 September 2013 at 13:39  

Quiet Despair,
Please provide figures for your statement:
This Dyana gal have not mixed around to know that the creme de la creme scholarships like Bank Negara, Petronas, Sime Darby, Tenaga, Telekom, KLSE, etc are mostly won by the Chinese. Same goes to the last-time looked down upon as lowly JPA scholarship. Ratio of Chinese and Malays are equal.

Making claims without facts (figures ) is not worthy of mention.

Anonymous,  10 September 2013 at 20:31  

1/3

Salam Yang Berkhidmat Dato Sak & friends on this blog…
25 initiatives as envisioned in the 1st wave of the Malaysia Education Blueprint …
With credible and sincere sharing from my sister - in - law who recently paid me a visit with my brother and their kids from the US; both are professionals trained abroad, they both related how immensely their kids have benefitted emotionally and mentally from their education abroad. My brother is a muhibbah Malay, married a Malaysian Chinese they have lived, worked abroad and visting homecountry for a long while.

Having arrived in the new host country, the latter volunteered to support the premier international school their children were enrolled in, paid by the US organistion.

ok forging ahead with seen and unseen concerns arising from the Blueprint … to all govt schools and vernacular schools in the nation.

1.It is imperative to provide ongoing soft- skills training to parent volunteers, teachers and clerical staff whereby they are NOT allowed to divulge or tattle about students’ level of intelligence : regardless how high or a few students may be facing specific needs eg ADHD, etc
( perhaps, the terminology, special needs needs to be coined as specific needs ), respecting their family’s socio - economic position in relation to other families as to avoid special privileges and disrupt the efficiency of learning for all students, everything is strictly P& C as per se and professionally conducted, self - checked as well as by fellow parent volunteers.

The heads of school, the principals and the board of the school should be free from politics and privileges and actively aware and practice a most helpful approach in all matters in regards to students and their parents or guardians.

Any abuse is reported and investigationis done immediately and rectified in transparency and respect. This is to prevent any preference for the kids as well as to ensure they study in a natural conducive high learning environment, not in an imaginary utopia, and learning to respect self, peers and their respective parents as required in character buliding. This goes beyond projecting a better professional image for teachers, the parent volunteers and the school administration. Malaysian schools should gear towards this.

2. Discard the mentality of fear and any nacissism not to include the Mindful and Progressive thinking professionals and wise parents in Malaysia from giving fresh, meaningful evaluation, constructive private criticism , ideas and committed support to students from the elementary school level right through high school.

Collaboration across and within is no longer an option
if there is a serious and committed will to going full march ahead in implementing the education blueprint.

3. Parent volunteers help make props for concerts, they provide support to school bash, sports day, friendship day, parents day, festivals, donation drives, educational field trips and providing tasty food and drinks, gifts with their kids in recognising non - academic members of the school such as the janitors, canteen servers, cooks, security guards. You will find parents’ active involvement is strictly non academic which is an enhancement to enable teachers to focus on their teaching and instill character building in students with disctinction. Teachers will send survey forms home with the students and fathers and moms get to volunteer in sharing with the kids in the class, say 30 mins max, with their professional tools and what it takes in their respective career.

Anonymous,  10 September 2013 at 20:34  

2/3

4.Is it YTL involved in providing 1BestariNet and software for our Malaysian schools ? A little unsure about it. ok… what are the strategies taken to secure each student’s password is self – created, strictly confidential and respected, all students are fore taught about cyberbullying, cyberthefts, passive threats by sweet cajoling, plagiarism, the loss of dignity, how teachers and professors can discover plagiarised works, security issues and respect. However only their respective teachers, school psychologists and school counsellors have access to their assignments, projects and testings if any report of suspect is filed by their teachers or fellow classmates; to track their surfing behavior on the net, to track down any discrepancies and risky behavior to provide solutions to parents and their kid(s) with urgency.

YTL, the education net provider and qualified, must be most helpful staff have to work hard to provide the specific training and effective and simple, precise learning materials to address the concerns.

5. Will the kids be taught key boarding skills from grade three for one semester and their skills evaluated ? Then in the following semesters of each new academic year, students are expected to progress in creating more challenging and fascinating academic projects on PowerPoint to showcase their learning in their respective homeroom / classroom and in the whole grade level as well every three to four days of work, no procrastination by teachers or students ( unless with medical reason, haha di Malaysia Bolehland, boleh beliiii, or things have been forced to change by Pakatan and savvy parents ; and teachers and leading to encapsulating their projects on PowerPoint akin to walking their parents / guardians through the park in spring or the reverse on Report Card Day !

6. Teachers and ( retired teachers, only those still abled, intellectually sharp and witty with enthusiasm in serving the nation ) should be brought back to enhance the teaching of English, Science and Math in English. Great teachers not only teach, they guide and inspire students in learning and character building by being the positive role model hands-on, unlike someone who stupidly suggested in the Star paper that teachers should be able to drive excluisve cars in order to attract quality candidates, if that is the case, the once dignified teaching is defiled by greed or

Anonymous,  10 September 2013 at 20:37  

3/3

7. Isn’t teaching as a career supposedly to be still freshly dignified for many thousands of Malaysian teachers ? What about the UMNO cabinet ministers, they will have the ground to ask to be ferried by rolls, put it the brunt way, there is no career worldwide like teaching to be enjoying massive holidays to recuperate mentally and emotionally, and supposedly to keep enhancing self in learning new teaching skils and progressive knowledge on par with international benchmark. I’m not in the education field but lending ears to deep attentive listening to experts cum parents in the field with wonderful kids abroad.

8. Parents should press for district education officials to move out from their comfort zone into classrooms, to assist, to evaluate teaching in tandem with the blueprint at least once in every semester, and to provide follow- up to all teachers collectively and to address glaring issues in private.

9. 1BestariNet should work triple hard to ensure its santity to effectively and honest nationwide building through education which can be scrutinised be eagle eyes of parents, responsible communities leaders, and mindful educators in the nation and worldwide. Don’t bull. Avoid the fallout of being used as an agent to create monetary gains to sell garbage learning materials for unethical publishers of software and hardware, or beyond that, which is more testings, more evaluations camouflaged in the name of chasing after international benchmarks like the overly competitive koreans ending students and teachers mentally burnout and stressing out parents, having to cough up more gold plated nuggets.

btw k.m come jiving in melbourne with your better half ( we often remember her health in prayers, and for you to detach from umno hehe, serious ! or you bring walla, sak and bruno, whoever good friend readers and writers on Sak’s blog of Pakatan for Rakyat hahaha and treat them to premiums down south. Cheers and Salam.

Coogee

Anonymous,  10 September 2013 at 21:16  

Don't get worked up with quiet despair because he suffers from hallucinations just like most utusan fanboys. I will give you some stats about JPA because i was there:
IN 1997 10 JPA graduates received scholarships to do medicine in Queensland university, australia. Each valued at RM400K back then. Out of the 10, zero are chinese and zero are indians. The chinese and indians had to ask the australian govt to give them scholarships (which australia was kind enough to give back then as malaysia was considered a '3rd world country' back then. (under the EMSS scheme). this went on until Mahathir pissed off Paul Keating and that was the end of those scholarships. So I don't know where quiet despair dreamed up his fantastic figures about the 'nons' getting scholarships. As I said, a figment of his imagination

Anonymous,  11 September 2013 at 02:21  

@ anon 10 Sept 21:16

So back then dah kerajaan Msia tak bagi scholarship pada the non Malays to major in medicine, a course that provides immense health care to the rakyat, but the Australian govt made the thing right in tandem to the right to education, until the firaun pissed off Paul Keating, entahlah this old chap is always the tool for the devil, hiding to project himself and his vast schemes. In the true teaching of the agama, eternity will then independently decide the consequences for any injustice or justice taken by one's lifetime on planet earth more so the heavy trust of responsibility given, the heavier is the expectation of accountability, every action and deed, good, bad and the shades as well. Hopefully things will run in the right course for all of his next gens. I do fear and be happy simultaneously about eternity which begins daily in one's lifetime.

Anonymous,  11 September 2013 at 07:23  

DAP strategy is to hire a few malays as their lap dogs trying to show their so called non racist agenda. However, the malays that they hire as candidates for election, politcal secretaries are just merely lackeys who are stupic enough to want their 15 minutes of fame. Shame on them!

سومڤيتن امس,  11 September 2013 at 09:24  

QD must also know of the scheme that sent the brightest Malay students to do 6th Form in the UK, and from there proceed to the top universities in the UK or USA. I know this for a fact as a good friend's son went on to win the Cambridge Blues in soccer, thanks to the mass of fat of a well-fed British classmate who fell on him during rugby and almost squashed him flat like a pancake.

QD, we have the talents from every community, and let's just get on with our march forward instead of raking up imaginary statistics.

Incidentally, the lad is a very successful corporate personality, and I am proud of what he has achieved despite the fact that it took me 22 years after leaving school to be able to afford an old banger, which also turned out to be the favourite target of a black bitch when it had bladder problems.

QD, think about that. At 25, you have done extremely well, and a bit of magnanimity on your part, with blinkers off, won't harm you or our country.

Can we make 1Malaysia a reality, QD?


S.E.

Anonymous,  11 September 2013 at 09:36  

Anon@11 September 2013 07:23

'...the malays that they hire as candidates for election, politcal secretaries are just merely lackeys who are stupic enough to want their 15 minutes of fame.'

Such an insightful one-liner.

Oop! What about u, yrself?

If these Melayu r stupid, then show how clever/smart u r, by expanding yr takes beside one-liner. Otherwise u r tin kosong, who is ONLY good at commenting with superficial terminology without ANY understanding!

In short, u r pal of that inveterate syok-sendiri QD, who cant make a tag for himself at his place of birth & thus try very hard to hold on to his paternal homeland's tongkat by playing cute.

Anonymous,  11 September 2013 at 10:09  

Agree totally. Unlike those racists & thieves of UMNO goons, Dato Ariff is the best example of multicultural representations of all people regardless of their races or religions.

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