tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111674972024-03-14T09:26:29.306-04:00AZLY-RAHMAN POSTNARRATIVES ON CULTURE, CYBERNETICS, AND COMPLEX SYSTEMS. PROSE, POETRY and MEMOIR PIECES. Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.comBlogger1723125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-92020239380676572892021-05-30T18:55:00.003-04:002021-07-23T09:24:56.196-04:00Grandma’s Gangsta Chicken Curry and Gangsta Stories from My Hippie Sixties by Azly Rahman<p><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: large;">MY MEMOIR IS NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON! </span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Grandmas-Gangsta-Chicken-Stories-Sixties-ebook/dp/B095SX3X26/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Azly+Rahman&qid=1622415200&sr=8-1">https://www.amazon.com/Grandmas-Gangsta-Chicken-Stories-Sixties-ebook/dp/B095SX3X26/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Azly+Rahman&qid=1622415200&sr=8-1</a></span></b></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Grandmas-Gangsta-Chicken-Stories-Sixties-ebook/dp/B095SX3X26" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="628" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPo4iNP8reBW09BSL2LGYxXeJ7M2vI29qV0D8Wx-745mpJsjXWEI1vFBzoBgQiI32CwYw68WWYnxhMd-jqBnhfdkEASgwFKec_EMSfTxUE1yIXbcQu3hCEWc3mq6Wj5T98CUgcqQ/w245-h400/Memoir+page+new.png" width="245" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><h2 style="background-color: #fefefe; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: AvantGarde-Medium; font-size: 29px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1.16px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">Grandma’s Gangsta Chicken Curry and Gangsta Stories from My Hippie Sixties</h2><h5 class="author-name" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #737373; display: inline-block; font-family: AvantGarde-Medium; font-size: 25px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px; margin: 13px 0px 35px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">Azly Rahman</h5><p style="background-color: #fefefe; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: AvantGarde-Medium; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">In the following recollections, divided into several chapters, Azly Rahman presents a mixed-genre memoir-snippets of growing up in a world rooted in the pastoral-ness and ruralness of things. The world of his kampong or the Malay village. These are stories of separation – of a mind from the body. Of the body from consciousness. Of spiritual consciousness from the reality of things. In these lie the author’s story – of separation from his tribe, so to speak. Of culture, its constructions, and complexities. The strange and the familiar has become me. Of the anthropology of the self, globalized in all its absurdities. The central theme is ‘growing up gangsta’ in a Malay village that offered the realism and the supernaturalism of things, seen through the lens of a boy in his early teens.</p><p><a href="https://penguin.sg/book_author/azly-rahman/" style="background-color: #fefefe; box-sizing: inherit; color: #ff5a00; cursor: pointer; font-family: AvantGarde-Medium; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" tabindex="0"></a><span face="AvantGarde-Medium" style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #0a0a0a; font-size: 16px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: #fefefe; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: AvantGarde-Medium; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">Through the shifting of the narration of the here and then, through poems, rapping verses, and ethnographic notes, he makes the stories accessible to readers of the English-speaking world, primarily in the United States where the author now resides and teaches. It is a story of ‘boy meeting the strange part of his Malay world’ yet rooted in his mother’s love as an inner guide, and sanity.</p><p style="background-color: #fefefe; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: AvantGarde-Medium; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Grandmas-Gangsta-Chicken-Stories-Sixties-ebook/dp/B095SX3X26" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1245" data-original-width="1741" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcj-vIJ0VWwWoEeRjRDyr3bL1NoXWazTWMs3ifaZ-jHuEn2y9CvlFh0lHBzvPFeEpJGMwfuLQcBT5hXeyXSwd6ouezKIwCFu6QK6UiunIRkTLl9r93zDhb_7KpmFz03ILfPDN6g/w400-h286/Lotus1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="background-color: #fefefe; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: AvantGarde-Medium; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><br /></p>Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-72162741946475695822021-03-07T20:00:00.000-05:002021-03-07T20:00:57.556-05:00Are MRSM (Maktab Rendah Sains MARA) schools a successful failure?<p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Are MRSM schools a successful failure? </span></b></span></p><p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><i>After 50 years of the MARA Junior Science Colleges Project?</i></span></span></p><div class="content_headline" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><b>by Azly Rahman </b><br /><b><br /></b></div><div class="content_headline" style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #333333;">This essay was written in 2010. Still relevant today, on March 9, 2021, an important date for the third MRSM (Kuantan)</span></b></div><div class="content_headline" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div class="content_headline" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOv0qJFYTxNxp0-tRYhyI0uSNVZBMOGUfhLmJv_knXcKqDk57pZQpf82_itk3cODSFeL3xcljPCQvrkzH95K-EaX7SS_MstYQpNEXW1Mpsy1P_xmkuCjRhbY5wMvM2uaUPfTcfZA/s1280/under-harapan-shouldn-t-mrsm-be-for-all-malaysians-1214383289273745408.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1280" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOv0qJFYTxNxp0-tRYhyI0uSNVZBMOGUfhLmJv_knXcKqDk57pZQpf82_itk3cODSFeL3xcljPCQvrkzH95K-EaX7SS_MstYQpNEXW1Mpsy1P_xmkuCjRhbY5wMvM2uaUPfTcfZA/w410-h214/under-harapan-shouldn-t-mrsm-be-for-all-malaysians-1214383289273745408.webp" width="410" /></a></div><br /><div class="content_headline" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div class="content_byline" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 470px;"><tbody><tr><td width="74"><br /></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"><br /></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"><br /></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"><br /></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"><br /></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td class="content_byline_content" valign="bottom" width="300"></td><td valign="bottom" width="96"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">As hypermodernising societies such as Malaysia progresses in syncrony with the advancement of capitalism, and as race and religion becomes the foundation for decision-making in education, especially in elitist well-funded schools, Malaysia is faced with another dilemma of education and national development.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">Is this country creating sophisticated ethnocentrists that will continue to sustain race-based ideologies?</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (Mara Junior Science College) schools, well-funded, well-staffed with advanced degree faculties, and well-taken care of by the Malay-centric government may be one example of a phenomena of a successful failure in the system's 50-year evolution.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">The school system prides itself in innovative curricular experimentation drawn from best practice of schools, particularly those of the United States; as its original template was based upon.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">What educationists will see in the list of innovations are merely aspects of the formal curriculum; upon further analysis lies the hidden and informal curriculum as perceived from curricular theory; hidden is the deeply racial socialisation aspect.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">The overall picture lies in the impact of politics and education in the socialisaton of MRSM students. they parrot the teachers, the teachers parrot the politicians, politicians kowtow to money and power - that's an example of successful failure.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">We are all economic beings, homo economicus undoubtedly but it is education and only education that is the best means to re-engineer, restructure, re-level, and redesign society.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">It is the only means to sustain individual and social progress, as philosophers Dewey and Freire would argue.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span class="subtitle" face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;"><b><i>Valueless ideologies</i></b></span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">While the advanced nations are prioritising multiculturalism, honoring cosmopolitanism, and globalising education, Malaysians, through their endless fights over education are making many steps backwards. MRSM has produced a breed of sophisticated professionals to sustain ethnocentric valueless ideologies out of touch with current cultural realities.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">Consider, in a similar vein, how much is spent and attention paid to on yet another high-priced elitist project such as the Pintar Permata at the expense of other schools in dire needs of even basic amenities such as those in Sabah and Sarawak or in many poor states - is that equity and equality for all races? Or is it a showcase based on ignorance of the meaning of equality and education?</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">With all due respect to the administrators, teachers, parents, and students, I must say about the MRSM school system.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">With its insistence on being a Malay-centric, MRSM these days are not preparing children to survive in a multicultural, cosmopolitan, and ever-changing world that requires English as an important skill, and an outlook that is more open to learning about other cultures especially in the context of a rapidly changing Malaysia.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">Those specialisations in each MRSM school are merely cliches filled with educational terminologies that are not fully understood but fully acceptable as a platform to appease the needs of the current regime.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">Regimentation is necessary it seems to tune the mind of the monolithic mono-cultural students to accept governmental dictates making them in turn, one-dimensional beings.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">Are any of those MRSMs suitable for Malaysian children? Or are they merely training and indoctrinating grounds to prop up yet another breed of leaders that will sustain the culture of blind following neo-feudalism of Ketuanan Melayu that itself is a dying specie?</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">Do parents know what goes on in the culture of the MRSM boarding schools and what goes on in the minds of your children?</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">In this context, we must look at the difference between education, schooling, indoctrination, mind-control, and liberation in thinking. I would say that the MRSM system is a successful failure.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span class="subtitle" face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;"><b><i>Retrogressive ideologies</i></b></span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">In MRSM, that predominantly Malay-elite secondary institution for the best and brightest young Malays, Malay-centric indoctrination work have been happening since the 1980s. Courses such as Kursus Kesedaran (Self Awareness Courses) are conducted to instill the questionable idea of Ketuanan Melayu, making the children afraid of "Malaysian bogeymen and bogeywomen" and their own shadows.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">Open-mindedness is rarely encouraged and students take control over each others' lives transplanting retrogressive ideologies into each other's head, with the help of ultra-nationalist and anti-multiculturalist teachers.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">Even if these children survive the ideological ordeal and experience 'tough love' and go on to get their degrees from top American and British universities, they will still be Malays with a shallow understanding of multiculturalism or become more sophisticated Malays with more complex arguments on Ketuanan Melayu.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">They will then design policies to affect the needed sustenance of ideology in order to protect the interests of the few. Neo-feudalistic cybernetic Malays are then the new creations of the political-economic ruling class. They run the country and many are now running it down.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">As an educator wishing to see Malays progress alongside in peace and prosperity with other races, I call upon us all to put a stop to all forms of indoctrination held especially by the BTN (Biro Tata Negara); an organisation that is of no value to the advancement of the Malays they claim to want to liberate.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">It should be taken over by progressive Malaysians and replaced with a systematic effort to promote not only racial understanding through teaching respect and deep reflection on the cultures of the peoples of Malaysia, but also teach conflict resolution and mediation through cross-cultural perspectives. All must question the presence of BTN on campuses. All must reject BTN's programme for indoctrination.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">Let us no longer allow any government body of that sort to set foot on our campuses or our schools. As Malaysians we have to demand an end to the further dissemination of racist ideologies.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">Open up, not only institutions such as UiTM (Universiti Teknologi Mara) and MRSM but also Umno to more students of the major cultures. We will then have a great celebration of diversity and respect for human dignity in the decades to come.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">We need to turn succesful failures such as MRSM into truly successful Malaysian educational ventures; an organic system able to prepare young Malaysian citizens for a diverse, multicultural, and rapidly challenging world - minus the cliches of educational innovation and blind nationalism that will be anti-national in character.</span>Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-37680117003327931942020-12-29T13:21:00.002-05:002020-12-29T13:38:17.897-05:00SLEEPING WITH GREAT BOOKS: A child remembers the early Seventies <p><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: medium;">SLEEPING WITH GREAT BOOKS: A child remembers the early Seventies </span></b></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><b><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: medium;">(excerpt
from a forthcoming memoir)</span></b><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span><b><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><b><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6vkzOoGbTxvD4mOcJ96xHZd1Aw3Lbbn0WrAmsUPTTbrc4YV7LR_gAFky0UGL_j8a7dXfxnbFZ6BTorPLlRO1yRcOMf88bevOXsvN_hsHwZm6KgmJZ9oaxtxgIISW8BxCQ70Pr3A/s1000/88ed6724c731859d47586f5066e44fc5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6vkzOoGbTxvD4mOcJ96xHZd1Aw3Lbbn0WrAmsUPTTbrc4YV7LR_gAFky0UGL_j8a7dXfxnbFZ6BTorPLlRO1yRcOMf88bevOXsvN_hsHwZm6KgmJZ9oaxtxgIISW8BxCQ70Pr3A/s320/88ed6724c731859d47586f5066e44fc5.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><p></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">If there were two very close friends in my life and especially
during my childhood, they were: 1) An imaginary friend who had multiple
personalities who lived on a tree I frequently climb, and 2) Great books I
slept with. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">I don’t know what fascinated me about the power of words and
about imaginary friends I could run around with and have battles with behind
locked doors. I will not talk about that imaginary friend for now.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">Books, books, books... how great they are. I remember these
friends of mine.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdqYcluHu8Z4FKJIqDI1Q_DKbFo1RVMryKLRoqt6DHNbpln4-qQVKYnU4TFf8rXgZtQlYGjjKa6T3pi8tlMnTysif44CHSIsy195qQtWQhoiEFyRqlJqLc1htw-Z4Rd8vCkQseRg/s900/IMG_7556.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdqYcluHu8Z4FKJIqDI1Q_DKbFo1RVMryKLRoqt6DHNbpln4-qQVKYnU4TFf8rXgZtQlYGjjKa6T3pi8tlMnTysif44CHSIsy195qQtWQhoiEFyRqlJqLc1htw-Z4Rd8vCkQseRg/s320/IMG_7556.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><i><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><b>Early books</b><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">I slept with a world history book <i>Sejarah Dunia</i>, ‘Hikayat
Bayan Budiman’ and ‘Hikayat Seribu Satu Malam’. I can still remember the
delightfully musky smell of those classics. The history book was light green,
the <i>Hikayat Bayan Budiman</i> light yellow, and the <i>Hikayat Seribu Satu
Malam</i> was light brown... light reading there was not. Then there were also
some bawdy <i>Jawi</i> magazines I found at home, called <i>Mustika</i> I
secretly read. Scantily-clad Malay women “<i>berkemban</i>” adorned the cover
page. They were not real photos but something that looked like water-color
paintings.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">I read novels too. I found them in my mother’s closet or ‘<i>gerobok</i>’
as the Johoreans would call it. The novels were in <i>Jawi,</i> the Malay
writing that uses Arabic scripts. My mother knew I loved reading and subscribed
to Reader’s Digest for me to spend time in between eating, roaming the village,
and playing soccer alone in the field across my kampong house. I looked forward
to the postman delivering each issue of the book that opened windows to the
American culture. I loved the feature sections as well as those that made me
chuckle and laugh - ‘Humour in Uniform’ and ‘Laughter the Best Medicine’, and
in general, what living in America is about. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">We didn't have much in our house – not much “cargo” as the New
Guinean Yali, in UCLA evolutionary biologist Jared Diamond’s study <i>Guns
Germs, and Steel</i> called <i>possessions</i> -- just the basics of a family
on the level of village poverty, but I had enough time and interest to read and
be wealthy with myths, tales, legends, and stories. My best friends: words.
That became flesh. And inscriptions. And installations of spaces of knowledge
and power, as I later wrote about in my doctoral dissertation at Columbia
University in the City of New York. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><i><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><b>A book about a bloody riot</b><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">My fondest memory was reading a banned book: <i>13 Mei: Sebelum dan Selepas </i>or May 13: Before and After, written by the first Prime
Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman. My mother told me it was “haram” to
read it and the book was at home because my father who was a soldier in the
Malay Regiment in Singapore was given a copy. He spent many years patrolling
the jungles as far as Jesselton, Sabah, fighting the Communists who were keen
on taking over Malaya and install a Mao-Leninist style rule. So, my father was
in the then British Malaya Malay Regiment, though a mere <i>prebet</i>
(private) trying to defend the country from Chin Peng, Rashid Mydin, Abdullah
CD, Shamsiah Fakeh, and the merry band of Malayan Commies who knew only
violence and terrorism to affect social change.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8E_B03xnEGPFM2v8lmrwg-QGfDwtjbXdsGHgc8-GZ-QXJl_vrCUZ52QrrbGHc55v7QXQfYBC5_C1IEKp3BFwYb4s0dWYQsWkhzbM3plhQbzwAK7s8PuGtQ1KhGp9lMAvw16HlQ/s425/06aa7e12-7572-11e9-933d-71f872cf659b_image_hires_125347.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="425" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8E_B03xnEGPFM2v8lmrwg-QGfDwtjbXdsGHgc8-GZ-QXJl_vrCUZ52QrrbGHc55v7QXQfYBC5_C1IEKp3BFwYb4s0dWYQsWkhzbM3plhQbzwAK7s8PuGtQ1KhGp9lMAvw16HlQ/s320/06aa7e12-7572-11e9-933d-71f872cf659b_image_hires_125347.webp" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0tFj-YlMkmWdiBQ_5B0i08v2EGbDTIlnWyHAWUwIa9idmmnOAVphea4b8kSqA_TGlbHog0ZMEl2YzomtaCfD136g22oKlNkIxIehwjhZEE5GJL21AYoS6bdjJV87Fy0QP09jBsQ/s300/md30430211191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0tFj-YlMkmWdiBQ_5B0i08v2EGbDTIlnWyHAWUwIa9idmmnOAVphea4b8kSqA_TGlbHog0ZMEl2YzomtaCfD136g22oKlNkIxIehwjhZEE5GJL21AYoS6bdjJV87Fy0QP09jBsQ/s0/md30430211191.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">The banned book on the bloodiest incident in Malayan history
were Malays fought and killed the Chinese especially in Kuala Lumpur, was about
the prime minister blaming the “young Turk” Dr. Mahathir Mohamad for helping
Tun Razak (Najib's father) to secure power because the young and ambitious
leaders were feeling that the first prime minister was giving too much freedom
for the Chinese to control the economy. Later I came across many stories
concluding that Tun Razak planned the riots so that he could use the Emergency
Rule to take over the country. A theory.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">That’s the banned book I read when I was a kid. I was of course
confused as to why there were also talks that Malay folks in my village were
preparing themselves with martial arts skills and “magic powers” and with red
headbands with the Arabic phrase “<i>LailahailAllah</i>” (There is no god but
God) were getting ready to travel to the city of Kuala Lumpur in the village of
Kampung Baru to do one thing: to “slaughter the Chinese”! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">(Today, there is a revival of the ideology of Communism in
Malaysia, amongst the leftist-activists in her public and private
universities.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyfhvoJdhG_CcyeEGIZ-zyzctt0Us0JzIDSdQ77lOsLVOd-KJCHUnTbrJIsz1PathIiUVBlZWaAI6uRxVnEiKHPLAEPwBp0oDVGslxreesVOonu56LpleWvi_F5AG3h9fuCJEZdg/s2048/Left+Memories.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyfhvoJdhG_CcyeEGIZ-zyzctt0Us0JzIDSdQ77lOsLVOd-KJCHUnTbrJIsz1PathIiUVBlZWaAI6uRxVnEiKHPLAEPwBp0oDVGslxreesVOonu56LpleWvi_F5AG3h9fuCJEZdg/s320/Left+Memories.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdUZ2bCfb-o6D_LhjA270SvsxvyAhC37WePVNCVrQK0y7FDuMMtAPp-aR6W1ShE9u0V50-E1-afs6KkVQNK326aYjH7O82CnUEPpFrM1Rh_U7fBhuYz5etPiffvpqqx1UXs8hEA/s583/marx.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="583" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdUZ2bCfb-o6D_LhjA270SvsxvyAhC37WePVNCVrQK0y7FDuMMtAPp-aR6W1ShE9u0V50-E1-afs6KkVQNK326aYjH7O82CnUEPpFrM1Rh_U7fBhuYz5etPiffvpqqx1UXs8hEA/s320/marx.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><br /></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">Yes, May 13, 1969. What a horrifying memory of a child of
perhaps 10 years old to have! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><i><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><b>Before Google </b><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">I always had a pocket-sized encyclopedia in my schoolbag; one
that has everything about serious and fun facts such as world’s longest,
tallest, highest, lowest this and that, capital of cities, famous quotes of the
English Language, and tons of information that I could ‘google’ by flipping the
pages every time I want I would read the little encyclopedia I bought at an
Indian bookstore in the Main Bazaar (Pasar Besar) of Johor Baru of the late
sixties.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">I was happy that I knew so many things and I could quiz my
friends on and be able to answer end-of-day questions on general knowledge my
teachers in school would ask the class, the reward for the correct answer was
to leave the class five or ten minutes earlier than everybody else.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">I could them start playing outside those extra minutes while
waiting for my ride home. I could play my ‘bola chopping’, ‘sepak yem’,
‘gundu’, ‘superhero cards’, ‘chepeh’, or those games boys of that time played.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">Later when I was sent off to a boarding school in the coastal
town of Kuantan at a tender young age of 12, I was introduced to a good
librarian (and a homeroom ‘mother’). It was said to be an experimental American
school in Malaysia, modeled after the Bronx School of the Gifted in Science and
the kids were openly called the “guinea pigs” by the educationists. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">We were selected through nationwide IQ tests and most eligible
were kids from very poor families who were <i>padi</i> planters, rubber
tappers, shopkeepers, and fishermen. In my case, I was a child of a Malay
Regiment army <i>prebet </i>(private) and a seamstress who later became an
electronic factory worker, assembling microchips for Siemens, in Singapore,
going to work at 5 in the morning and coming home on a bus at 7 at night. She
raised the five of us with earnings from the two jobs. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><i><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><b>Adult books</b><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">Coming from a kampong in Johor Baru and as a child getting
chased out of bookstores almost daily for ‘just reading’ and not buying those
‘mini-encyclopedia’ from which I tried to memorize the interesting facts, the
Kuantan school was like the Library of Congress! There I read an encyclopedia
of Charles Manson cover to cover, a pictorial coffee-table book of ‘The
Godfather’, world maps, American movies, the story of rock and roll, and The
Beatles. Some of my favorite books I read at fifteen were A. S. Neill’s <i>Summerhill</i>
and <i>Dr. Spock’s Radical Child Rearing</i>, and later ‘The Wanderers’. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">And I fell in love with the <i>Asterix</i> and <i>The King is a
Fink</i> series.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">At the age of 12 or 13, too, I got hold of a book <i>Education
and Ecstasy</i> by the American social reconstructionist in education, George
Leonard. It was in my school's library. I liked it and read it twice and
remembered the part where he discussed the importance of the child, with the
help of adult members of the tribe, to speak about what he/she dreamt of as
important data to help members of society to move on.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">I thought the sight of children sitting in their little ‘chawat’
or tribal hot pants talking about their dreams to adults in bigger ‘chawat’
interpreting dreams was cool. I suppose George Leonard was very much influenced
by the idea of the sixties of which Anthropology was beginning to a break-away
from its colonial mode’ with actually the influence of Margaret Mead as a
‘spokesperson of the sixties’.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">Later Mario Puzo’s <i>The Godfather</i> novel became a favorite,
leading me to read more and more stuff from the gangster-movie genre; <i>The
Don is Dead</i>, <i>Omerta</i>, <i>Bonnie and Clyde</i>, etc. Another favorite
was <i>Papillon</i>, which was later made into a movie starring Steve McQueen.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">It was always a pleasure to be in the library stocked with
readings on American culture. Whether influential or not, I read Dale
Carnegie’s <i>How to Win Friends and Influence People</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">No, I was not interested in influencing anyone, not interested
in girls, too, because then I thought they were strange annoying creatures, nor
was I interested in becoming an influential politician. I was simply interested
in the title of it! Sounded like how to see ghosts and communicate with them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">Hanging out, hanging around, and ‘chilling’ I was in that
reading joint back in the day, listening to the teachers and the librarian
gossiping too. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><i><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><b>In my high school library </b><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">The library sometimes feels like a Barnes and Noble cafe in New
York city - there would always be those little boarding school children hanging
out, hanging around, and ‘chilling’ with the librarian-cum-homeroom mother and
one of my favorite English teachers! May God bless her soul wherever she is. I
will write about my other English teachers later. It was also a gossiping
joint.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qVu61sH04Bl6tqM-BkIET6e4dwrSlYRg_-X3Lgllzgm9Gsv0HWJWF8nlGB7vv6kYUmLMelckJvOHfKSjzicS-vCnQwOhy8bjJEeTdPi96NBAprZzFbBe5ybU6cZyY4J-lCM3aw/s1280/under-harapan-shouldn-t-mrsm-be-for-all-malaysians-1214383289273745408.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qVu61sH04Bl6tqM-BkIET6e4dwrSlYRg_-X3Lgllzgm9Gsv0HWJWF8nlGB7vv6kYUmLMelckJvOHfKSjzicS-vCnQwOhy8bjJEeTdPi96NBAprZzFbBe5ybU6cZyY4J-lCM3aw/s320/under-harapan-shouldn-t-mrsm-be-for-all-malaysians-1214383289273745408.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">I continue to read Greek and Roman mythology and my World
History book (in Malay) every time I go home. The library of Sultanah Aminah in
Johor Baru was another place I loved best.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">A deeply shining moment in one of my English teacher's effort to
make teaching interesting was when she brought a friend of hers, I think from
Universiti Malaya to our English Club meeting and performed this short
existentialist play concerning a corpse that kept growing and growing out of
the closet, maybe Eugene Ionesco’s short play ‘Amedee’. (<i>Or How to Get Rid
of It.)</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">It was such an effective two-woman performance by the duo Miss
Rahmah and Miss Maznah that I got so scared towards the end and had a nightmare
right there in the dorm.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">That was one of the many moments of effective teaching. Later in
life I became very interested in French existentialist literature, reading more
Ionesco, and obsessed with Samuel Beckett, Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre and
finally immersed myself in Existentialism. I went on to read the major classics
of English and World Literature.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">My English teacher taught me two words with which I can never
forget how excited I was when I was in Form One; the words were ‘nocturnal
incursion’. I got so obsessed with the words that they became part of me - I
started sneaking out at, many nights and got myself free to roam the city of
Kuantan at night and see what ‘nocturnal incursions’ means, and what freedom
entails or escape from Alcatraz is about.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">I read that novel <i>Papillon</i>, about life in a French
prison, three times when I was in Form Three. I read ‘The Godfather’ novel five
times. Later I found out that Saddam Hussein’s favorite movie was ‘The
Godfather’!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">She got us to read a novel, <i>Istvan Zolda</i>, about a soldier
in Yugoslavia during the time of the war of the Partisans.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">When I was in Form One she told me that I had “perfect English”.
I was thrilled, excited, flattered. But I found out later that it was not true
at all. I still work with brutal editors for all of my writings, while at the
same time editing other people’s work.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">May all the good work be blessed. Teachers like them are rare
these days; they are now politicized.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><i><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"><b>My mother smarter than Paulo Freire</b><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">Such is the joy of reading back in the day - before Facebook,
WhatsApp, iPads, and the culture of Mat and Minah Rempit, Jihadists. And
terrorists by any name.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">And bless my mother's soul for showing me the power of the word.
With her schooling to only Primary Three (<i>Darjah Tiga</i>,) she was smarter
than Paulo Freire, the Marxist-Leninist Brazilian educator, I presume. Certainly
more peaceful than Marx, Engels, and Lenin combined.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">She was my pedagogue. Of
hope. And love. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p>
<span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">And books? My dear
friends they are. </span>Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-1516726282687079572020-12-27T20:45:00.006-05:002020-12-27T23:22:18.395-05:00I AM NO LONGER A COLUMNIST for MALAYSIAKINI: June 2020 <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-wrocWh6QhRmwe6akLR1SYuXMUVi5uys80EESGzIzjJXnXE1dZS2j3OrIQIqwyTzxfjSSYEMZhVfvG97k3Xd7PZh5SH7AvgLQ4phX1SN9Pq7haeWIuFDu5myT2VkqAljXlUeRw/s1523/SharedScreenshot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1523" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-wrocWh6QhRmwe6akLR1SYuXMUVi5uys80EESGzIzjJXnXE1dZS2j3OrIQIqwyTzxfjSSYEMZhVfvG97k3Xd7PZh5SH7AvgLQ4phX1SN9Pq7haeWIuFDu5myT2VkqAljXlUeRw/w483-h318/SharedScreenshot.jpg" width="483" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #050505;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: start;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I DON'T SUPPORT THE BLM-VIOLENCE NETWORK. To me "AS EDUCATOR, ALL LIVES MATTER" then. now, and forever. This is my stand. And Violence begets violence. Nothing comes out of it. And I am not a supporter of any Bigot President either. Nor any form of racial supremacy — azly rahman</span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: start;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: start;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Below is what I tweeted, after watching the violence in June, 2020: the looting, the burning, the destruction of property and businesses, after the protests. </span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6yEJW5z3QlE_lyLmGsAwPlAo_l0ni-YdE268-erF4z8FImjPbgkcAiCgF9VVvRoprC1Vu5InOFps5siduac8uvP-SQGI0nW-04Ha76tic75mIyMYvKkv_7mR7UdWLrjDVahiRw/s1766/SharedScreenshot2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1766" data-original-width="943" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6yEJW5z3QlE_lyLmGsAwPlAo_l0ni-YdE268-erF4z8FImjPbgkcAiCgF9VVvRoprC1Vu5InOFps5siduac8uvP-SQGI0nW-04Ha76tic75mIyMYvKkv_7mR7UdWLrjDVahiRw/w305-h400/SharedScreenshot2.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4FfkrzA6Mka9VlSW5luD4BF7XyHVTZOBiVst40fbpun3C8ath2Y8zgKANM4ZaPBcvxXwwDMxmR9scA4xQ9-3JpuEAdF5vMRwoYSmaxu65MsiTux5rVV1SXh9vh6ZEG9-o1Rx_XQ/s660/0266a2e8-e91d-4d5e-818b-52e0aa23d577-AP_Minneapolis_Police_Death_Chicago.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="441" data-original-width="660" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4FfkrzA6Mka9VlSW5luD4BF7XyHVTZOBiVst40fbpun3C8ath2Y8zgKANM4ZaPBcvxXwwDMxmR9scA4xQ9-3JpuEAdF5vMRwoYSmaxu65MsiTux5rVV1SXh9vh6ZEG9-o1Rx_XQ/s320/0266a2e8-e91d-4d5e-818b-52e0aa23d577-AP_Minneapolis_Police_Death_Chicago.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUogdpwhmcDJLH5Z4_9pNACHi0csy9J9tNwynBbKFtVrMe4B9KfpAETDSy88i__hTMRWaLDpZS4Ti4ucrn_5YTSeOLElPvPnYwXS2gC37uEugRHGHRKmQ9aQPzDbuhnE8eTJpNSg/s1920/33fcd723-ed84-46e2-84f8-a48e40cd7314_1920x1080.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUogdpwhmcDJLH5Z4_9pNACHi0csy9J9tNwynBbKFtVrMe4B9KfpAETDSy88i__hTMRWaLDpZS4Ti4ucrn_5YTSeOLElPvPnYwXS2gC37uEugRHGHRKmQ9aQPzDbuhnE8eTJpNSg/s320/33fcd723-ed84-46e2-84f8-a48e40cd7314_1920x1080.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_18UD-GPc0saYtwu5EER5tuKZzYtD665a4trDsHQaDCTj8xfGT2s0TizM3AgttQ54yff7pFLIQtd1rIfjgze2h56W9_7Hu3dlxdFw5ELSvh85dl2IQE3OLoPxVtfN44DFQW36A/s299/images+%252813%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="299" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_18UD-GPc0saYtwu5EER5tuKZzYtD665a4trDsHQaDCTj8xfGT2s0TizM3AgttQ54yff7pFLIQtd1rIfjgze2h56W9_7Hu3dlxdFw5ELSvh85dl2IQE3OLoPxVtfN44DFQW36A/w315-h169/images+%252813%2529.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFDn2QcGpqnH81tMJutGCovnMQEi0rzPkxVRp873bjD5RysyXz40p85IZmjghtLNOA1qzWG_YShvmBl2cMaEvNI75U1IT5mRcFCvMue6lmQjZ7rZWhmEk1b4qHotipv6VCCbzdA/s1160/portland-773.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFDn2QcGpqnH81tMJutGCovnMQEi0rzPkxVRp873bjD5RysyXz40p85IZmjghtLNOA1qzWG_YShvmBl2cMaEvNI75U1IT5mRcFCvMue6lmQjZ7rZWhmEk1b4qHotipv6VCCbzdA/s320/portland-773.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg59r1LiM8qU7SmwQoVyqbdN2sJTayXZCfn8q7biMnz2DLKPtAn7KLMG8extH36zUwQiKq8Y1hmxlNyK_smUd39souX0XsqDodSuNe0K3hyKAZz-f9AOwLnz_ed2o2b4x2_I3gzcQ/s1200/Eb2LsjqXQAIVLnj.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg59r1LiM8qU7SmwQoVyqbdN2sJTayXZCfn8q7biMnz2DLKPtAn7KLMG8extH36zUwQiKq8Y1hmxlNyK_smUd39souX0XsqDodSuNe0K3hyKAZz-f9AOwLnz_ed2o2b4x2_I3gzcQ/s320/Eb2LsjqXQAIVLnj.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkS29S_LFrgINclUXyHVRa7CSmBoudhgomkoisrjkTA68rEeUafb2m51SNphcbWJUNSm8JPgs6OGS1QSNFMnxziUcONsAyzsthWvQITixLG_es3MUi9Y9telyyGuguNT6RFURKg/s1200/EcvahI1VAAAMmEa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkS29S_LFrgINclUXyHVRa7CSmBoudhgomkoisrjkTA68rEeUafb2m51SNphcbWJUNSm8JPgs6OGS1QSNFMnxziUcONsAyzsthWvQITixLG_es3MUi9Y9telyyGuguNT6RFURKg/s320/EcvahI1VAAAMmEa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxh2Sa-hGEW1QF_5CfuHyGbRnLORxBrAA4bFxS-_srzcVMeOOVMqXArXYoX9xOOikrQ4t3g7qZSK5cXoqAEFax8CErNE5zBo9GN7efidP7g6O2pp-m5oha_7HJrkQlgTxoIoong/s239/images+%252813%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="211" data-original-width="239" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxh2Sa-hGEW1QF_5CfuHyGbRnLORxBrAA4bFxS-_srzcVMeOOVMqXArXYoX9xOOikrQ4t3g7qZSK5cXoqAEFax8CErNE5zBo9GN7efidP7g6O2pp-m5oha_7HJrkQlgTxoIoong/w294-h211/images+%252813%2529.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">HERE IS MY RESPONSE TO THE ISSUE </span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">(Published in Eurasia Review, Oregon, USA)</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="clearfix" id="content" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans", serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><article class="post-239666 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-567 category-east-asia-pacific category-opinion category-social-issues" id="post-239666" style="box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 1px 3px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px;"><div class="featured-image" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Globalization Human Observer Exhibition Photomontage Faces" class="attachment-colormag-featured-image size-colormag-featured-image wp-post-image lazyloaded" data-ll-status="loaded" height="445" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" src="https://www.eurasiareview.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/b-352.jpg" srcset="https://www.eurasiareview.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/b-352.jpg 800w, https://www.eurasiareview.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/b-352-300x167.jpg 300w, https://www.eurasiareview.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/b-352-768x427.jpg 768w" style="box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: top;" width="800" /></div><div class="article-content clearfix" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="above-entry-meta" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><header class="entry-header" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><h1 class="entry-title" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 32px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Price Of Not Tweeting Exclusively That ‘BlackLivesMatter’ – OpEd</h1></header><div class="below-entry-meta" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="posted-on" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.eurasiareview.com/17122020-the-price-of-not-tweeting-exclusively-that-blacklivesmatter-oped/" rel="bookmark" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #888888; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="4:39 am"><span class="fa fa-calendar-o" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: FontAwesome; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1; padding-right: 3px; text-rendering: auto;"></span> <time class="entry-date published" datetime="2020-12-17T04:39:47+01:00" style="box-sizing: border-box;">December 17, 2020</time></a></span> <span class="byline" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="author vcard" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="fa fa-user" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #888888; display: inline-block; font-family: FontAwesome; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1; padding-right: 5px; text-rendering: auto;"></span> <a class="url fn n" href="https://www.eurasiareview.com/author/dr-azly-rahman/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #888888; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Dr. Azly Rahman">Dr. Azly Rahman </a></span></span><span class="comments" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.eurasiareview.com/17122020-the-price-of-not-tweeting-exclusively-that-blacklivesmatter-oped/#comments" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #888888; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="fa fa-comments" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: FontAwesome; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1; padding-right: 5px; text-rendering: auto;"></span> 3 Comments</a></span></div><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">First, my condolences to the family of George Floyd. And may justice be served on those responsible for his death. This has been a challenging two weeks for me: the end of semester wrap-ups, novel writing continuation, and handling a Gerakbudaya author-interview cancellation issue.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But let me share what transpired the day I tweeted what I believed in, as an educator for more than three decades.</span></p><h2 id="h-cancel-culture-story" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">‘Cancel culture story’</span></span></h2><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was invited to give a Zoom-talk by Gerakbudaya, my publisher of seven books, on apartheid and education in Malaysia, and in fact, I was the one who suggested the series of author-interviews, then “KABOOM!” a day before Saturday 13th, it was canceled. The reason: the editors were perhaps contacted by an academic from abroad and a human rights activist that I had tweeted and posted messages that are supposedly against BlackLivesMatter and therefore disrespectful to the movement and therefore I had to be “de-platformed” immediately.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Of course, things got out of hand and there began the controversy on how I should be behaving like a “progressive” as to how the BlackLivesMatter fanatics had wanted it to be. In short, their argument goes like this: if you are not promoting BlackLivesMatter you are a racist and a Trump supporter and a white supremacist. That’s how many Malaysians too think.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When you get the chance, you can go to the Gerakbudaya page and see my responses, including a letter of apology from the owner, I posted.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Now it seems some human rights activists in Malaysia, as well as academics, are suggesting that I continue to be “de-platformed” and my books taken off the shelves until I “revise my view” on BlackLivesMatter. I find this concerning. But this is Malaysia.</span></p><div class="entry-content clearfix" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="7CIQMq9f" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">You may visit my Facebook page [<a href="https://www.facebook.com/azly.rahman" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #dd9933; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/azly.rahman</a>] and have a sense of what matters to me as an educator and why I get turned off by hegemony, social projections, and the meaning of protests when one starts saying that “Until BlackLivesMatter all lives do not yet matter” Or — “PoliceLivesDon’tMatter” or “WhiteLivesDon’tMatter”. These, to me, are violent messages hash-tagged for maximum-viral impact.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“BlackLivesMatter Too BECAUSE AllLivesMatter” was my concluding post.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I also posted that “AllLivesMatter” is perfectly in agreement with what I have always championed for in all my writings: that “AllMalaysianLivesMatter” in a world in which the promotion of Malay Supremacy is ever-present.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So, these and the violence attached to the movement turned me off and I start to protest against the world. I am a teacher essentially and to me “AlLivesMatter” resonates with me better and if I have to chant “BlackLivesMatter” all my life, I might next start hating people of all color, especially the whites. It is a crystal-clear philosophical stand I am taking. Malaysians especially don’t like this stand because Philosophy can be worse than Zoom-Fatigue.</span></p><h2 id="h-symbols-destroyed" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">‘Symbols destroyed’</span></span></h2><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Statues are now being brought down such as in Bristol and continuing in many parts of the world, I’d say that’s a natural progression of human action when freedom to destroy them go rampant. Lenin’s statue, Sadam Hussein’s, Leopold of Belgium’s, Columbus — all these symbols of oppression are targets. The French taught the modern world about destroying symbols, by first beheading Louis Capet and Mary Antoinette and today producing theories of deconstructionism. We moved from the physical to the intellectual.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The nature of Man perhaps to destroy as in the Shiva-Brahma-Vishnu in us (Preserver-Creator-Destroyer). But the Biblical stories too, the chosen peace messengers from Abraham to Muhammad destroyed symbols. So, it is part of the inner drive of the primordial self to destroy, I suppose.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">BlackLivesMatter protests, triggered by the George Floyd event, gave the inspiration to destroy: from old paradigms of thinking to statues, to properties in the cities and businesses owned by peace-loving-law-abiding citizens. Anarchism seems to be an addiction of the youth these days. The Liberal Left bent on the ideas of change promoted by Communists – that violence is that way too – has possessed the mind of the young. Destruction is the modus operandi to feed the soul of the protester.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Yes, it’s all about inner and outer symbols: Of what one worships and destroys.</span></p><h2 id="h-a-symbol-of-violence" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">‘A symbol of violence?’</span></span></h2><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Of course, the Covid-19 lockdown fermented the anger and sped up the destruction. Today, addiction to protests continue. The only difference is the burning and looting has stopped. Except in the latest case in Atlanta.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Of course, the Covid-19 lockdown fermented the anger and sped up the destruction. Today, addiction to protests continue. The only difference is the burning and looting has stopped. Except in the latest case in Atlanta.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The irony of BlackLivesMatter is that it looked like it worked in concert with looting and burning and destruction. As if planned. Man loves to see things burn when the language of reason fails, avenues for peace closed, and the view that the world is an oyster and the land of opportunities and not to create mayhem is lost. Those who love to burn the city down are merely feeding the Fire within. Whether a meaningful symbol such as BlackLivesMatter is attached to it or not.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I want to continue to spread the message that all lives matter: not the Trumpian of White Supremacy slogan but the very basic idea that we are all humans. There is no question of “timing” here that collides with BlackLivesMatter, nor the metaphor of the two houses, one burning that we ought to save.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This is what made people angry with me — that I refused to “revise my view” and I am not “repenting”. My response has always and will always be this: I am an educator and all lives matter to me. As soon as I step into my classroom, all those in it, to me, are human beings with unique cultures and talents and levels of motivation, ready to learn. My job is to see them only as my students of all shapes, sizes, colors, gender, race, and religious affiliations for me to not only teach – but to learn from.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I have been living with this credo and ethos as an educator since I started teaching 33 years ago. I can only promote the words “AllLivesMatter” however my critics wish to interpret it. I offer no apologies even though many have said that the timing is not right. How ridiculous!? But I respect their views and will defend their rights, although mine will be demolished, in many ways as I have been reading. I stand by what the French philosopher Voltaire would say about respecting and defending other people’s views.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I have been living with this credo and ethos as an educator since I started teaching 33 years ago. I can only promote the words “AllLivesMatter” however my critics wish to interpret it. I offer no apologies even though many have said that the timing is not right. How ridiculous!? But I respect their views and will defend their rights, although mine will be demolished, in many ways as I have been reading. I stand by what the French philosopher Voltaire would say about respecting and defending other people’s views.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Besides, I am no stranger to controversies and how people have been responding to what I stand for. I believe controversies are good especially when they are handled, as the Russian thinker Mikhail Bakhtin would call “dialogically” rather than be an avenue for name-calling, even (strangely) by aging academics who ought to have acquired the status of a Merlin the Magician or a Tolstoy or a Dame Agatha Christie or even a Harriet Tubman: wise old men and women.</span></p><h2 id="h-does-race-matter" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">‘Does race matter?’</span></span></h2><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Besides the above on the nature of protestation and disagreements, first and foremost, I do not believe race is significant nor emphasizing it brings us any good. And what will violence achieve? What’s the point of chanting and screaming justice in the day and looting, burning, and threatening the lives of others at night—burning down the businesses of people whose lives depend on those.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I have been living with this credo and ethos as an educator since I started teaching 33 years ago. I can only promote the words “AllLivesMatter” however my critics wish to interpret it. I offer no apologies even though many have said that the timing is not right. How ridiculous!? But I respect their views and will defend their rights, although mine will be demolished, in many ways as I have been reading. I stand by what the French philosopher Voltaire would say about respecting and defending other people’s views.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Most of the businesses burned to the ground and looted empty are those family-owned by immigrants trying to survive in a land that is giving them hope to flourish, after escaping persecution. And each one of these people – the Italians, Irish, Armenians, Mexicans, Chinese, Jamaican, West Indian, Japanese, Jews, Turkish, Syrians, Somalians, Palestinians, Haitians, etc. — have had a long history of discrimination, persecution, and slavery too. We have not yet talked about the Native Americans! – in different context than those who lost their livelihood when businesses and neighborhoods get looted and burned to the ground!</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So—to you my esteemed readers: what do you think? Which one is better: AllLivesmatter? Or BlackLivesMatter?</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Or should race matter at all?</span></p></div><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></p></div></div></article></div><div class="author-box" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 1px 3px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 25px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 800px;"><div class="author-img" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Dr. Azly Rahman" class="avatar avatar-100 wp-user-avatar wp-user-avatar-100 alignnone photo lazyloaded" data-ll-status="loaded" height="100" src="https://www.eurasiareview.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/s200_azly.rahman-128x128.jpg" style="border-radius: 50%; box-sizing: border-box; float: left; height: auto; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 15px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: top;" width="100" /></div><h4 class="author-name" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Dr. Azly Rahman</i></span></h4><div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: open sans, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5751844.Azly_Rahman</b></i></span></div><div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: open sans, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><p class="author-description" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans", serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Dr. Azly Rahman is an educator, academic, international columnist, and author of eight books, namely Multiethnic Malaysia: Past, Present, Future (2009), Thesis on Cyberjaya: Hegemony and Utopianism in a Southeast Asian State (2012), The Allah Controversy and Other Essays on Malaysian Hypermodernity (2013), Dark Spring: Essays on the Ideological Roots of Malaysia's General Elections-13 (2013), a first Malay publication Kalimah Allah Milik Siapa?: Renungan dan Nukilan Tentang Malaysia di Era Pancaroba (2014), Controlled Chaos: Essays on Mahathirism, Multimedia Super Corridor and Malaysia's 'New Politics' (2014), One Malaysia under God, Bipolar (2015), and High Hopes Shattered Dreams: The Second Mahathirist Revolution (2020). Five of the books are <a href="https://www.gerakbudaya.com/index.php?route=product/search&search=azly%20rahman&description=true" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #dd9933; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">available here</a>. He grew up in Johor Bahru, Malaysia and holds a doctorate in International Education Development from Columbia University in the City of New York, and Master's degrees in six areas: education, international affairs, peace studies communication, fiction and non-fiction writing. He is a member of the Columbia University chapter of the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education. He currently teaches courses in Global Politics, Cross-Cultural Studies, and Sustainability, in the United States. Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/azlyrahman?lang=en" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #dd9933; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">@azlyrahman</a>. More writings <a href="https://azlyrahman-post.blogspot.com/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #dd9933; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">here.</a></i></span></p></div></div><div><br /></div>Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-66189311251224077532020-07-09T00:31:00.001-04:002020-07-09T00:32:00.809-04:00#AllCulturesMatter: Notes for a course in Cultural Management, Ensenada, Mexico<div class="g_gbo5esphm _5eit z_gbo5epc0x clearfix" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: -1px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; zoom: 1;"><div class="clearfix w_gbo5esrbr" style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: -6px; zoom: 1;"><div class="clearfix _42ef" style="font-family: inherit; overflow: hidden; zoom: 1;"><div class="u_gbo5esrbw" style="font-family: inherit; padding-bottom: 6px;"><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="_6a _5u5j" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; width: 100%;"><div class="_6a _5u5j _6b" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%;"><div class="_5pcp _5lel _2jyu _232_" data-testid="story-subtitle" id="feed_subtitle_689079971:-604194820613986133" style="color: #616770; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; position: relative;"><div class="_6a _43_1 _4f-9 _nws _21o- _fol" id="u_jsonp_6_v" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: -4px; margin-left: -4px; margin-right: -5px; margin-top: -5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="_6a uiPopover" id="u_jsonp_6_x" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit;"><a aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" aria-label="Shared with Public" class="_42ft _4jy0 _55pi _5vto _55_p _2agf _4o_4 _401v _p _1zg8 _3m8n _4jy3 _517h _51sy _59pe" data-hover="tooltip" data-tooltip-alignh="right" data-tooltip-content="Public" href="https://www.facebook.com/azly.rahman#" id="u_jsonp_6_r" rel="toggle" role="button" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position-x: 0%; background-position-y: 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: transparent; border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: transparent; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: transparent; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-sizing: content-box; color: #4267b2; cursor: pointer; display: inline-flex; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; justify-content: center; line-height: 22px; max-width: 26px; overflow-wrap: normal; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; transition-delay: 0s, 0s, 0s; transition-duration: 200ms, 200ms, 200ms; transition-property: background-color, box-shadow, transform; transition-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.08, 0.52, 0.52, 1), cubic-bezier(0.08, 0.52, 0.52, 1), cubic-bezier(0.08, 0.52, 0.52, 1); vertical-align: middle; white-space: nowrap;"><span class="_-xe _3-8_" style="font-family: inherit; margin-right: 4px;"><i class="_21or img sp_gjPpWLLydXV_2x sx_595c95" style="-ms-high-contrast-adjust: none; background-image: url(&quot;/rsrc.php/v3/yZ/r/vHAVnKjTyLS.png&quot;); background-position-x: 0px; background-position-y: -986px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 28px 1038px; bottom: 1px; display: inline-block; height: 12px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 12px;"></i></span><span class="accessible_elem" style="clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); font-family: inherit; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; white-space: nowrap; width: 1px;"><span class="_55pe" style="color: #999999; display: inline-block; flex-basis: auto; flex-grow: 0; flex-shrink: 1; font-family: inherit; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"></span></span><span class="_4o_3" style="font-family: inherit;"><i class="img sp_fYrV2DcKuMb_2x sx_afa9d7" style="-ms-high-contrast-adjust: none; background-image: url(&quot;/rsrc.php/v3/y3/r/4_FyiJaSI33.png&quot;); background-position-x: -435px; background-position-y: -225px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 500px 572px; bottom: 1px; display: inline-block; height: 8px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 9px;"></i></span></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="_5pbx userContent _3576" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-testid="post_message" id="js_7v" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_5f069b52440bf3e80021103" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;"><p style="display: block; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"type":104,"tn":"*N"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/allculturesmatter?__eep__=6&source=feed_text&epa=HASHTAG" style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit;"><b><font size="5"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #365899; font-family: inherit;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">AllCulturesMatter</span></font></b></span></a><br /> This is the foundation of Cultural Management and the road to cultural competency we ought to teach the young, and what I have been doing for decades as well. </p><p style="display: block; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi45lD7bQA7yM4pzRK2nFGrDKqIF0LhNjdP2oferBnfLFtBOXlthxwlyNCiSq-osqcMZSsqkiO9N4OIyNrfq5pU4zNx0Yc1S5thoSGW_e0EdnE_lmZX53O7s9tqZT5txan_xl0YQ/s5184/IMG_0033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi45lD7bQA7yM4pzRK2nFGrDKqIF0LhNjdP2oferBnfLFtBOXlthxwlyNCiSq-osqcMZSsqkiO9N4OIyNrfq5pU4zNx0Yc1S5thoSGW_e0EdnE_lmZX53O7s9tqZT5txan_xl0YQ/s320/IMG_0033.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p style="display: block; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="display: block; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="display: block; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 6px;"> Educators need to master the art and science of teaching diversity and to integrate and infuse the themes of multiculturalism into the subject matter. </p><div class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;"><p style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> The young, of "Generation-C" or Gen-Covid need to be given guidance and offered humane and peaceful choices of what they are to do in life, in a world of such rapid and oftentimes violent changes that many of those restless will easily fall prey to those out to indoctrinate and turn the young into appendages and utilities of the powerful and egotistical interested in advanced destructive agenda.</p><p style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 6px;"> Herein lie my continuing interest in guiding the young in managing culture, coming to terms with the impact of Covid-19, and feeling the changes of cultural hybrid in the self. Ultimately I see culture as organic, dynamic, constantly evolving, construct-laden, with the foundation of spirituality and scientific reasoning keeping the self still sane. </p><p style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 6px;"> I do not merely teach about the concepts of culture bur how concepts inform the phenomenology of changes within the self, as experiences, signs, symbols, semiotics, sense-awareness of things around impact the psycho-physics aspects of the human mind, leading to personal cultural evolution -- these as culture gets reproduced and take the trajectory of being abling and disabling, being constructive and destructive and in-between.</p><p style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 6px;"> What is "culture" if not a system of variegated meaning: of the self undergoing constant reconstruction, of the tools we use to work and play, the artifacts we create to solve problems or to amuse or even abuse ourselves, the rituals we participate in whether meaningful or not, the gods we worship, the house we inhabit -- all these as the still-evolving definition of "culture" as conceived and attempted to be defined by those studying it-- from Boas to Malinowski, to Levi-Strauss, to Mead, to Merle-Ponty, to Geertz, to Rosaldo and many others.</p><p style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 6px;"> … --ar</p></div></div></div>Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-74648524556205896922020-06-30T00:23:00.002-04:002020-07-04T00:16:23.272-04:00WHAT I THINK of THIS INCOMPREHENSIBLE TWEET<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><font size="5">and the attempt to "de-platform" me re: Gerakbudaya issue</font></b></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b></b><font size="5"></font><br /> I just found this while collecting data for my very brief memoir.</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4229vgr5bDcp-wpOHgCqIivL6wZDr9Z8XIakSm1nSGt6i7GirKUUkaWWjkXEc6dI98A2jLlT7Ih95erzi3JS1CKqOrg0bXgdE-N5NoRLU3YgHEbFRM5y8eNTRFcuDKAJdkpw5ug/s1536/Fullscreen+capture+6292020+81414+AM.bmp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1536" height="439" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4229vgr5bDcp-wpOHgCqIivL6wZDr9Z8XIakSm1nSGt6i7GirKUUkaWWjkXEc6dI98A2jLlT7Ih95erzi3JS1CKqOrg0bXgdE-N5NoRLU3YgHEbFRM5y8eNTRFcuDKAJdkpw5ug/w781-h439/Fullscreen+capture+6292020+81414+AM.bmp" width="781" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvdX0Drm7zenCsGxtIiQ7Umo4c0ypiBpxRvcY7SkupDSyqh28VNOX0xYEylrlZgHrFXyzNjIv9QxtY2lsAQEzivPvFhnH-Eg2Y8bXWfZfuq1QpSTLvNgkboSJZDC1Dk2kHwShOg/s1536/Fullscreen+capture+6292020+81503+AM.bmp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1536" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvdX0Drm7zenCsGxtIiQ7Umo4c0ypiBpxRvcY7SkupDSyqh28VNOX0xYEylrlZgHrFXyzNjIv9QxtY2lsAQEzivPvFhnH-Eg2Y8bXWfZfuq1QpSTLvNgkboSJZDC1Dk2kHwShOg/w625-h351/Fullscreen+capture+6292020+81503+AM.bmp" width="625" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /> I don't know who these people are, in the sequence of the conversation, except Prem Chandran of Malaysiakini. It's worth writing about this, from the point of view of individual thought process, ideology, institutions, intentions, and what I see as a person's right to be informed or ignorant, to be illuminated or having the illusion of knowledge. Did this person call for the "de-platforming" of my Gerakbudaya talk?</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><font color="#000120"></font></u><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyc_SA5hfGIiQ-btUFIILdJSwlG-o-jEY5Uqo4iVRPBHrhJ12qm9kXQAchyphenhyphenFP15l2pZH4vsZpyqJqTG8VRmmQUSaCwXt6EeX-wiWbQeq1O8FzJ-j3fhUtZb4dOmv-iXA3M0tViRA/s960/97998250_10157631962329426_4959378403225110087_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="678" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyc_SA5hfGIiQ-btUFIILdJSwlG-o-jEY5Uqo4iVRPBHrhJ12qm9kXQAchyphenhyphenFP15l2pZH4vsZpyqJqTG8VRmmQUSaCwXt6EeX-wiWbQeq1O8FzJ-j3fhUtZb4dOmv-iXA3M0tViRA/w443-h625/97998250_10157631962329426_4959378403225110087_n.jpg" width="443" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><font color="#000120"></font></u><br /></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> This person who tweeted does not seem to have any clue what he's talking about nor understand the context of what I have been tweeting, nor he has any idea of what life in the USA is about. That's my assumption, based on what he concluded. </p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> 1. When I said I am glad that that public order is in place and I am glad that the violence, the looting, the burning has subsided, what is the problem? Why would I wish the mayhem continues? </p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> 2. When I tweeted that the government will bring in the National Guard or other forms of law enforcement agencies to protect the lives and properties of citizens, do you have a problem with that? Whether one is a Democrat, Republican, Socialist, Conservative, whatever -- is that not the right of the citizens to ask for protection? So that the country would not turn into Guatemala, Venezuela, Afghanistan? Or a Malaysia on May 13, 1969? Is there a problem with that tweet?</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> 3. If I tweet that I have worked with great police officers in my community to help young people stay in school so that they could graduate and earn an honest living, and I have done that for many years and seen successes -- with the help of the Community Resources called "The Police" - what is wrong in tweeting that? Do you even understand how the local, city, state, county, and federal policing system works?</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> 4. If I tweet that I feel safe for another night and in fact every night that only police cars pass by my house to ensure my community is safe and quiet after 10:00 pm and the neighborhood appreciate this because as taxpayers and home owners we contribute to paying the salary of the police, the teachers, the firefighters, the town officials -- how is that a problem to you? </p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> 5. If I condemn violence and that violence begets violence and you equate me with being a Trump supporter and white supremacist, what is wrong with your thinking? </p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> 6. If I tell you that I have been involved with the work of improving the lives of especially African-American youth (as well as Hispanic, Asians, etc. too) and see them through high school and college and they have come back to convey appreciation and I have done this without chanting slogans, protesting, cheering at burning buildings -- long before you learn how to ride the bicycle perhaps, what would you say? </p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> 7. If I tweet anything I wish to tweet to educate and not to aggravate, because I believe that as an educator working in the field of at-risk, pre-incarcerated, "oppressed youth and adults" and "teaching teachers who will be teaching in the inner-city schools in the Bronx and Harlem" or anywhere gangsta of a neighborhood -- who are you to pass judgement based on what I tweeted to my liking? Based on your no-knowledge of what I have done to improve all lives that matter?</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> I do not condone any form of violence to affect social change. Education -- slow a process it may seem -- is what will guarantee personal, spiritual, cultural and social change. </p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> Those who called themselves "leftists" may think bringing down everything, burning down everything, or rationalizing these may think so. Your right. Your right to also be dealt with. With the rule of law. </p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> I want peace. So that I could continue my work, my career, my calling on education for peace and justice, in a system that too promotes freedom and talent. And of course, hard work.</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> I believe as an educator of more than 33 years, the lives of my students matter. And there is never a better timing than anytime.</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> Understand my stand? Or do you still think I do not understand my own tweets and posts? </p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> Let me know if these explanations make sense. Otherwise, go through life. With an open mind. And craft your own path. Not of those than have been sloganized. </p><div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> You may find the road not taken. And hopefully that will make a difference.</p></div><div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfWASo4oER7i1dZCYVx3QabVzj6zbiv36inc0wpwMLJwFVlpPd8UVgs-Z0a8_jjEDBnk4J9zFZ-dXcqUbQGnJw9cvBsLzq669QwtmsWtfHhiwjHrh4A33miahYCKdCqKfykoDEg/s3264/IMG_6485.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfWASo4oER7i1dZCYVx3QabVzj6zbiv36inc0wpwMLJwFVlpPd8UVgs-Z0a8_jjEDBnk4J9zFZ-dXcqUbQGnJw9cvBsLzq669QwtmsWtfHhiwjHrh4A33miahYCKdCqKfykoDEg/w781-h586/IMG_6485.JPG" width="781" /></a></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p></div>Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-8432290119742088262020-06-25T21:36:00.006-04:002020-06-27T14:58:59.607-04:00ARE YOU A TEACHER? OR AN INDOCTRINATOR?<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><font color="#b51200" size="5">ARE YOU A TEACHER?<br /> OR AN INDOCTRINATOR?<br /> - Notes for a Memoir </font></b></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><font color="#b51200" size="5"><br /></font></b></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><font size="5">by Azly Rahman</font></b></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><font size="5"><br /></font></b></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"> The essence of the next level of progress is good teaching and how to train the young to be practitioners and generalists. And respect and appreciate diversity and social justice of course. </font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"><br /></font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkk0OSOQeopabCqvVlsREQLDSpr5Uo-lj-zAKeMAm_A0XyaUE8-cslJkKj-HSl_3iyNP2YqPh8p8yN3172Bdr55Cl9s6-6Zv3Uh9p7_q_m0dr0Q8X7KQLHMaqLV2iUE2iywlD6Q/s450/stock-photo-new-york-city-april-columbia-university-library-and-statue-of-alma-mater-new-york-ny-on-april-139872349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="450" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkk0OSOQeopabCqvVlsREQLDSpr5Uo-lj-zAKeMAm_A0XyaUE8-cslJkKj-HSl_3iyNP2YqPh8p8yN3172Bdr55Cl9s6-6Zv3Uh9p7_q_m0dr0Q8X7KQLHMaqLV2iUE2iywlD6Q/w500-h355/stock-photo-new-york-city-april-columbia-university-library-and-statue-of-alma-mater-new-york-ny-on-april-139872349.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><font size="5"><br /></font><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"><br /> We have poor communicators in the universities these days who are only interested in forcing the young mind how to submit to ideologies. </font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"><br /></font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"> My experience in this difficult dialogue of BlackLivesMatter-AllLivesMatter has revealed how much shallowness has pervaded the thinking of many of the academics who have stopped learning, yet wished to continue teaching, for economic-survival reasons. Slogans are what they feed on and they feed each other in joyous festivity. Life-long learning is abandoned. </font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"><br /></font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"><br /></font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlk5rjForIaNuqhRFdZOUVUUCVbvEnHiwK30tL-KJSlg50QsOdapo1Dzf6IZEz3__MjwBpb9akxKlPujmcvm36WpdSpDfXwPOCJc7-_YJiSEuyTt65lgOixRw4nf__CiI3DLRuQg/s960/97998250_10157631962329426_4959378403225110087_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="678" height="976" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlk5rjForIaNuqhRFdZOUVUUCVbvEnHiwK30tL-KJSlg50QsOdapo1Dzf6IZEz3__MjwBpb9akxKlPujmcvm36WpdSpDfXwPOCJc7-_YJiSEuyTt65lgOixRw4nf__CiI3DLRuQg/w693-h976/97998250_10157631962329426_4959378403225110087_n.jpg" width="693" /></a><font size="5"><br /></font></div><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGyNTfWL6aZ9TX5Kdh4clCK2_ALH8cw8vlQlyAm76Y3DBnszJRfoA0YyxmCITJun26I1VR_Nvj5FNbq83OB5p0lzJAVKbHnpXgsVuuU6wNhfSpp1YhUEyk9tHTP2u6lLW-gyCkw/s1910/82372561_10157626455069426_377648016374934484_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1910" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGyNTfWL6aZ9TX5Kdh4clCK2_ALH8cw8vlQlyAm76Y3DBnszJRfoA0YyxmCITJun26I1VR_Nvj5FNbq83OB5p0lzJAVKbHnpXgsVuuU6wNhfSpp1YhUEyk9tHTP2u6lLW-gyCkw/w625-h329/82372561_10157626455069426_377648016374934484_o.jpg" width="625" /></a></div><font size="5"><br /></font><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt68S_7COvKt4w9g_RE-vTg6G9Mge_kF8VLdkUc-KdprQw8D5-i-S2gusFXK60e-Pj-WZBGSJSW1vkiq3jGwnTLpF6QC_7N3HQ9lfXXKUvQ83KTsz7SnGNsUNGS9xvSAskzU5XOg/s3264/IMG_6485.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt68S_7COvKt4w9g_RE-vTg6G9Mge_kF8VLdkUc-KdprQw8D5-i-S2gusFXK60e-Pj-WZBGSJSW1vkiq3jGwnTLpF6QC_7N3HQ9lfXXKUvQ83KTsz7SnGNsUNGS9xvSAskzU5XOg/w625-h469/IMG_6485.JPG" width="625" /></a></div><font size="5"><br /></font><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj96aXhyNesoZdSAFS9s2vd_dAX2THMYpyiqhG2aRAakNIbWVLOWCgRtQrmF0W7761_67Wh21Knd-lgP0xnTibndxGdFGeQQFmPeubm_5I18RR91RLzREz-La73Ato3wHfl6wUaA/s422/102907524_10158735985594973_8658794684402723306_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="333" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj96aXhyNesoZdSAFS9s2vd_dAX2THMYpyiqhG2aRAakNIbWVLOWCgRtQrmF0W7761_67Wh21Knd-lgP0xnTibndxGdFGeQQFmPeubm_5I18RR91RLzREz-La73Ato3wHfl6wUaA/w494-h625/102907524_10158735985594973_8658794684402723306_n.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><font size="5"><br /></font><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5">Some of these people teach Anthropology, Critical Media Studies, Political Science, Creative Writing -- from far away places such as Melbourne, Negeri Sembilan, Chicago, Bangi, Pantai Dalam, Penang and all. What was the dissertation defense about then?</font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"> So-- it is a global network of one-dimensionalism, as the American Marxist Herbert Marcuse would term, of those who ought to be teaching their students how to respect diverse points of view, as Voltaire would enjoin. We can't have our own "anthropological veto" on opinions we disagree if we are a teacher of Anthropology, we can't be blind to the way media too has shaped our consciousness and render us hegemonized beyond repair, if we are a teacher of Critical Media Studies, or we cannot be teaching our students the dangers of the "One-Single-Story", if we are a teacher of Creative Writing, if we fail to respect multiple genres of storytelling and narratives -- all these are faulty thinking in what we, as progressive educators, do in our work, developing the human mind in all its complexity.</font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"> Else we will belong to the new class of educators called the Academic-Talibans. Hopefully we are not. Read some of the work on the idea of thinking: by the American pragmatist philosopher John Dewey, to have a sense of what teaching can and ought to be about. </font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"> Today, perhaps, those who have differing opinions are being ganged-up upon and against. Even though the world of academia is about promoting dialectical thinking: seeing the ideas synthesizing --- from the actions of thesis and antithesis --- until one arrives at the meaning, phenomenologically-speaking. Alas-- the greatest enemy of knowledge is ignorance, if not the illusion of knowledge, let alone the believe that it is the truth and nothing but the truth though produced by some billionaire in Wall Street somewhere.</font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"> Logic bubbles that celebrate uninformed and uninvestigated ideologies backed by some billionaire rogue currency-trader are what these academics live in comfortably, knowingly or otherwise. </font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"> Our children in universities demand better instructors that would celebrate diversity in thinking rather that be stuck and presumably in awe in classrooms run like thought-control camps in some jungle in Baling, Kedah or Bentong, Selangor. There is more to teaching than just this method. Because as an educator, all lives should matter. And all opinions should be respected and celebrated. </font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"> I enjoy all kinds of music: rock, jazz, classical, kronchong, dangdut, Rock Kapak Johor, rap, hip hop, and music that pleases my soul. I like works of art that give me keys, windows, doors, insights to the different period: Classical, Neo-Classical, Baroque, Roccocco, Impressionism, Dadaism, and even Cubism which is said to be inspired by Fascism of the Third Reich. </font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"> I respect those with differing ideologies as they bring merriment of idea to Humanity, as they bring to the often-times intense discussions in my classroom -- be they Marxism, Capitalism, Progressivism, Essentialism, or whatever new "ism" that have emerged. I don't cancel them out nor call the owners of the ideas unpleasant names just because they blurted out OpinionsThatMatter to them. </font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"> We do not and should not own the minds of the younger generation. Our job is to give them enough tools to master their destiny -- based on the future in which the old would have died. Yes, the old will die with whatever ideology they have lived by. </font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"> I suggest these kinds of instructors take courses in how to teach -- or not teach at all. By sanctioning, rationalizing, patronizing, and even lecturing on the virtues of violence in making radical social change, they do not deserve to be further employed by their institutions. </font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"> I wonder what they do in their classes. Do they fail students who give the opinion in class discussions that "all lives matter"? Troubling to imagine this idea of indoctrination, rather than "teaching."</font></p><div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"> (PHOTO: University of Nottingham, UK. Panel Discussion on the future of education, 2019)</font></p></div><div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font size="5"><br /></font></p></div><div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjoJxKOHW9a73FWWBKTKt1wc05LJ0nzFiObuYDWQIKdGShkg-QVmeA9NYqlIAIq3WyC7k4ekrwYU_1Lir6cNPol-R9DIb3jmsi9Ts7M7Yx7NDAcTuEr2K7XI9A0ehJlQO8DdtTw/s800/IMG_6541.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjoJxKOHW9a73FWWBKTKt1wc05LJ0nzFiObuYDWQIKdGShkg-QVmeA9NYqlIAIq3WyC7k4ekrwYU_1Lir6cNPol-R9DIb3jmsi9Ts7M7Yx7NDAcTuEr2K7XI9A0ehJlQO8DdtTw/w625-h419/IMG_6541.JPG" width="625" /></a></div><font size="5"><br /></font><p></p></div>Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-57281572374358438952020-06-25T01:56:00.004-04:002020-06-26T18:53:53.938-04:00The price of not tweeting "BlackLivesMatter" exclusively<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "inherit",serif;"><b><span style="color: #d52c1f; font-size: large;">The price of
not tweeting "BlackLivesMatter" exclusively<br />
by Azly Rahman </span></b></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span></span><b><font color="#4285f4"><br />
(<span style="font-size: large;">THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF THIS ESSAY WAS NOT APPROVED TO BE PUBLISHED in MY
COLUMN in Malaysiakini. I respect their decision)</span></font></b></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 4.5pt;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><font color="#4285f4"></font><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRaspILycCT5BjboZDyDlxaXPO1wn3uIfR4Og6qI05GwzWKFr5tf4BJJaJTbeTNFKKuDCJ9H5CzwWIaUkE4tuYbRO7ltZ8lPDTLcTw5kekgLBJKMa46Z-IPsOVV6Rxm4UhQ_tOEg/s1600/flat%252C800x800%252C070%252Cf.u2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRaspILycCT5BjboZDyDlxaXPO1wn3uIfR4Og6qI05GwzWKFr5tf4BJJaJTbeTNFKKuDCJ9H5CzwWIaUkE4tuYbRO7ltZ8lPDTLcTw5kekgLBJKMa46Z-IPsOVV6Rxm4UhQ_tOEg/s320/flat%252C800x800%252C070%252Cf.u2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 4.5pt;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 4.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">First, my
condolences to the family of George Floyd. And may justice be served on those
responsible for his death. This has been a challenging two weeks for me: the
end of semester wrap-ups, novel writing continuation, and handling a
Gerakbudaya author-interview cancellation issue. </span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkHlkfIIfc8nOmx8beT7UnhYbBkfe7vjexch9drp6DvyVUWHyW_2PiAOvqebQ965TNQD-eT2nrU50DOKKbTe4s5PgF-ZBSqNUPV4zBknWyIDRAkRboGfeXLWGaVL4RJV9lTDQig/s780/200601135709-09-social-justice-murals-george-floyd-exlarge-169.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="780" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkHlkfIIfc8nOmx8beT7UnhYbBkfe7vjexch9drp6DvyVUWHyW_2PiAOvqebQ965TNQD-eT2nrU50DOKKbTe4s5PgF-ZBSqNUPV4zBknWyIDRAkRboGfeXLWGaVL4RJV9lTDQig/w500-h281/200601135709-09-social-justice-murals-george-floyd-exlarge-169.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">But let me
share what transpired the day I tweeted what I believed in, as an educator for
more than three decades. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>'Cancel
culture story' </b></i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">I was
invited to give a Zoom-talk by Gerakbudaya, my publisher of seven books, on
apartheid and education in Malaysia, and in fact I was the one who suggested
the series of author-interviews, then “KABOOM!” a day before Saturday 13th, it
was cancelled. The reason: the editors were perhaps contacted by an academic
and a human right activist that I had tweeted and posted messages that are
supposedly against BlackLivesMatter and therefore disrespectful to the movement
and therefore I had to be “de-platformed” immediately. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwsn5GfuiEY3PcBP1AVcQBH1gp-x1w90DcLOLPwflgK9wKzsYJyO-xRd4yEtOTI8zt22mp8vD-l-M5osfX377Nuurb-hKcCZu0WBhKLF30ldA4kOO9frUScOVNYF7LyS2KN3pqQ/s1600/97998250_10157631962329426_4959378403225110087_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="678" height="976" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwsn5GfuiEY3PcBP1AVcQBH1gp-x1w90DcLOLPwflgK9wKzsYJyO-xRd4yEtOTI8zt22mp8vD-l-M5osfX377Nuurb-hKcCZu0WBhKLF30ldA4kOO9frUScOVNYF7LyS2KN3pqQ/w693-h976/97998250_10157631962329426_4959378403225110087_n.jpg" width="693" /></a><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">Of course,
things got out of hand and there began the controversy on how I should be
behaving like a “progressive” as how the BlackLivesMatter fanatics had wanted
it to be. In short, their argument goes like this: if you are not promoting
BlackLivesMatter you are a racist and a Trump supporter and a white supremist.
That’s how many Malaysians too think.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">When you get
the chance, you can go to the Gerakbudaya page and see my responses, including
a letter of apology from the owner, I posted. [<a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/gerakbudaya/photos/a.10151843603454426/10157631962324426/?type=3&theater&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARA4-FRMbdQ0b7xoCAARmZLLz7If6s0EtxvRSmT8-8Z0kMnZDE32-cvdzgJ0SqLyAWPCa_laBd6hRF8bX3KyjttNrJ0x3ocb5pfR_3WpUE0hqTmwCTC43Ro5JGHgQ94yErWuWZ-x0tKvcHgLvpgXKDnnaZkJxObrHncscd-h7DResJyUM8zP3IBCWpOtW_J21q5crpINqtvJJbFCfVdwqT5YaqwNwOm4B6qDVaisMELUn1Z07aJLCwqY6mByHC95TSi1DHNRz9J_ejUJmi8MP4wvzppASTmGpDNLHq1PaLeWwSP4InMB8J98sOZUJvOC7KkSCqE9PsfPd8I&__tn__=-UK-R" style="cursor: pointer;"><span style="color: #385898; text-decoration: none;">https://www.facebook.com/…/a.1015184360…/10157631962324426/…</span></a>]</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSpoyR78GSLuo-Txm2UDafnCkddnGA6egRg4P3lXArxkaxZyedTpY6gFNqknBT8uwFNK20zZJuRfLW57zcJtsYQUM2NBF2__6B6m9_n2iskaspPsvgq37C1uhKAyLMp-74SMsBQ/s422/102907524_10158735985594973_8658794684402723306_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="333" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSpoyR78GSLuo-Txm2UDafnCkddnGA6egRg4P3lXArxkaxZyedTpY6gFNqknBT8uwFNK20zZJuRfLW57zcJtsYQUM2NBF2__6B6m9_n2iskaspPsvgq37C1uhKAyLMp-74SMsBQ/w618-h781/102907524_10158735985594973_8658794684402723306_n.jpg" width="618" /></a></div><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">Now it seems
some human rights activists in Malaysia as well as academics are suggesting
that I continue to be "de-platformed" and my books taken off the
shelves until I "revise my view" on BlackLivesMatter. I find this
concerning. But this is Malaysia. </span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8wFCs63UtzNAx7g9zL0Mpforbd-4qbTWBez9ZsFmaogVvYbj2Xp6Qu4xirxB-98XXLdyk3rLRigF4SPSqfwtH7Ork-8rYsnLrWrlKXp5PIZ-gvSSY86jpRPw5WXWL5Vzea7Fyg/s3264/IMG_6485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8wFCs63UtzNAx7g9zL0Mpforbd-4qbTWBez9ZsFmaogVvYbj2Xp6Qu4xirxB-98XXLdyk3rLRigF4SPSqfwtH7Ork-8rYsnLrWrlKXp5PIZ-gvSSY86jpRPw5WXWL5Vzea7Fyg/w781-h586/IMG_6485.JPG" width="781" /></a></div><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">You may
visit my Facebook page [<a data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=689079971&extragetparams=%7B%22__tn__%22%3A%22%2CdK-R-R%22%2C%22eid%22%3A%22ARD0_thNgWUA2vL2XBOjnWi-n-_9u5twfkTv6o97CH-bh0_HvZMKhGBmYCGE_YrSe95Kp7mVNLVJ_A-5%22%2C%22fref%22%3A%22mentions%22%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/azly.rahman?__tn__=K-R&eid=ARD0_thNgWUA2vL2XBOjnWi-n-_9u5twfkTv6o97CH-bh0_HvZMKhGBmYCGE_YrSe95Kp7mVNLVJ_A-5&fref=mentions&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARA4-FRMbdQ0b7xoCAARmZLLz7If6s0EtxvRSmT8-8Z0kMnZDE32-cvdzgJ0SqLyAWPCa_laBd6hRF8bX3KyjttNrJ0x3ocb5pfR_3WpUE0hqTmwCTC43Ro5JGHgQ94yErWuWZ-x0tKvcHgLvpgXKDnnaZkJxObrHncscd-h7DResJyUM8zP3IBCWpOtW_J21q5crpINqtvJJbFCfVdwqT5YaqwNwOm4B6qDVaisMELUn1Z07aJLCwqY6mByHC95TSi1DHNRz9J_ejUJmi8MP4wvzppASTmGpDNLHq1PaLeWwSP4InMB8J98sOZUJvOC7KkSCqE9PsfPd8I" style="cursor: pointer;" title="Azly Rahman"><span style="color: #385898; text-decoration: none;">https://www.facebook.com/azly.rahman</span></a>]
and have a sense of what matters to me as an educator and why I get turned off
by hegemony, social projections, and the meaning of protests when one starts
saying that "Until BlackLivesMatter all lives do not yet matter" Or
-- "PoliceLivesDon'tMatter" or "WhiteLivesDon'tMatter".
These, to me are violent messages hash-tagged for maximum-viral impact. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">“BlackLivesMatter
Too BECAUSE AllLivesMatter” was my concluding post. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">I also
posted that “AllLivesMatter” is perfectly in agreement with what I have always
championed for in all my writings: that “AllMalaysianLivesMatter” in a world in
which the promotion of Malay Supremacy is ever present. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">So, these
and the violence attached to the movement turned me off and I start to protest
against the world. I am a teacher essentially and to me "AlLivesMatter”
resonate with me better and if I have to chant "BlackLivesMatter" all
my life, I might next start hating people of all color, especially the whites.
It is a crystal-clear philosophical stand I am taking. Malaysians especially
don’t like this stand because Philosophy can be worse than Zoom-Fatigue. </span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>'Symbols
destroyed'</b></i></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><i></i><b></b><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">Statues are
now being brought down such as in Bristol and continuing in many parts of the
world, I'd say that's a natural progression of human action when freedom to
destroy them go rampant. Lenin's statue, Sadam Hussein's, Leopold of Belgium's,
Columbus -- all these symbols of oppression are targets. The French taught the
modern world about destroying symbols, by first beheading Louis Capet and Mary
Antoinette and today producing theories of deconstructionism. We moved from the
physical to the intellectual. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">The nature
of Man perhaps to destroy as in the Shiva-Brahma-Vishnu in us
(Preserver-Creator-Destroyer). But the Biblical stories too, the chosen peace
messengers from Abraham to Muhammad destroyed symbols. So, it is part of the
inner drive of the primordial self to destroy, I suppose. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">BlackLivesMatter
protests, triggered by the George Floyd event, gave inspiration to destroy:
from old paradigms of thinking, to statues, to properties in the cities and
businesses owned by peace-loving-law-abiding citizens. Anarchism seems to be an
addiction of youth these days. The Liberal Left, bent on the ideas of change
promoted by Communists – that violence is that way too – has possessed the mind
of the young. Destruction is the modus operandi to feed the soul of the
protester.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">Yes, it’s
all about inner and outer symbols: Of what one worships and destroys. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">'A symbol of
violence?'</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">Of course,
the Covid-19 lockdown fermented the anger and sped up the destruction. Today,
the addiction to protests still continue. The only difference is the burning
and looting has stopped. Except in the latest case in Atlanta. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">The irony of
BlackLivesMatter is that it looked like it worked in concert with looting and
burning and destruction. As if planned. Man loves to see things burn when
language of reason fails, avenues for peace closed, and the view that the world
is an oyster and the land of opportunities and not to create mayhem is lost.
Those who love to burn the city down are merely feeding the Fire within.
Whether a meaningful symbol such as BlackLivesMatter is attached to it or not. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">I want to
continue to spread the message that all lives matter: not the Trumpian of White
Supremacy slogan but the very basic idea that we are all humans. There is no
question of "timing" here that collides with BlackLivesMatter, nor the
metaphor of the two houses, one burning that we ought to save. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFp4bRiS15mwryBuF5fRWw63QQB8cKIYvZI3MXh2OWHpDGzOxBggJGyvkot-fCimFMKiCZJ73nC4xO-zdJrhOHLj1DtUx06KqCQ-cAO3RnDS3R9zDgcZcipVMPIkEfXq4UhD_LQ/s1600/IMG_6484.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFp4bRiS15mwryBuF5fRWw63QQB8cKIYvZI3MXh2OWHpDGzOxBggJGyvkot-fCimFMKiCZJ73nC4xO-zdJrhOHLj1DtUx06KqCQ-cAO3RnDS3R9zDgcZcipVMPIkEfXq4UhD_LQ/w500-h375/IMG_6484.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">This is what
made people angry with me -- that I refused to "revise my view" and I
am not "repenting". My response has always and will always be this: I
am an educator and all lives matter to me. As soon as I step into my classroom,
all those in it, to me, are human beings with unique cultures and talents and
levels of motivation, ready to learn. My job is to seem them only as my
students of all shapes, sizes, color, gender, race, and religious affiliations
for me to not only teach – but to learn from. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">I have been
living with this credo and ethos as an educator, since I started teaching 33
years ago. I can only promote the words “AllLivesMatter” however my critics
wish to interpret it. I offer no apologies even though many have said that the
timing is not right. How ridiculous!? But I respect their views and will defend
their rights, although mine will be demolished, in many ways as I have been
reading. I stand by what the French philosopher Voltaire would say about
respecting and defending other people’s views. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XN7xT1OHT-PMngBaCT3v_5FU7NNTpcqkGDXT1EfyTbRnZ0hzJH__q_aNIKqPJIhHyxlJRpYDrDb-BxokfSvAyQhq8BMJ9bkm5gCIHyjeEJiPT64ipeTeWWITOqPdOw_ALOeOeQ/s1600/17634534_10156038561659972_7821267362002259373_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="564" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XN7xT1OHT-PMngBaCT3v_5FU7NNTpcqkGDXT1EfyTbRnZ0hzJH__q_aNIKqPJIhHyxlJRpYDrDb-BxokfSvAyQhq8BMJ9bkm5gCIHyjeEJiPT64ipeTeWWITOqPdOw_ALOeOeQ/w500-h354/17634534_10156038561659972_7821267362002259373_n.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">Besides, I
am no stranger to controversies and how people have been responding to what I
stand for. I believe controversies are good especially when they are handled,
as the Russian thinker Mikhail Bakhtin would call “dialogically” rather than be
an avenue for name-calling, even (strangely) by ageing academics who ought to
have acquired the status of a Merlin the Magician or a Tolstoy or a Dame Agatha
Christie or even a Harriet Tubman: wise old men and women. </span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><i></i><b></b><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>'Does race
matter?'</b></i></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><i></i><b></b><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">Besides the
above on the nature of protestation and disagreements, first and foremost, I do
not believe race is significant nor emphasizing it brings us any good. And what
will violence achieve? What’s the point of chanting and screaming justice in
the day and looting, burning, and threatening the lives of others at
night—burning down the businesses of people whose lives depend on those. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">Most of the
businesses burned to the ground and looted empty are those family-owned by
immigrants trying to survive in a land that is giving them hope to flourish,
after escaping persecution. And each one of these people – the Italians, Irish,
Armenians, Mexicans, Chinese, Jamaican, West Indian, Japanese, Jews, Turkish,
Syrians, Somalians, Palestinians, Haitians, etc. -- have had a long history of
discrimination, persecution, and slavery too. We have not yet talked about the
Native Americans! – in different context than those who lost their livelihood
when businesses and neighborhoods get looted and burned to the ground!</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">So—to you my
esteemed readers: what do you think? Which one is better: AllLivesmatter? Or
BlackLivesMatter? </span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 4.5pt 0in 0in; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: large;">Or
should race matter at all?</span></div>
</div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-66380748597383619892020-05-18T23:39:00.002-04:002020-06-26T18:41:21.426-04:00THE FUTURE of EDUCATION: An interview with the Oxford Cambridge Society, May 13 2020<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=AkOhe_mwm5U&feature=emb_logo" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">THE FUTURE of EDUCATION: An interview with the Oxford Cambridge Society, May 13 2020</span></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8WA-m0BZJili1DVx9KkUwbI_ofCTofIc_9p43S0pqhNT81gkIgSzKEUzXdEZ4QyekEaS42tUB-4E0-FMlXU9uKS2hUHCxqlDc7ST7gzrXccB-KPtHncplAmlAERlUTQxxe8oWA/s540/safe_image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="540" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8WA-m0BZJili1DVx9KkUwbI_ofCTofIc_9p43S0pqhNT81gkIgSzKEUzXdEZ4QyekEaS42tUB-4E0-FMlXU9uKS2hUHCxqlDc7ST7gzrXccB-KPtHncplAmlAERlUTQxxe8oWA/w625-h326/safe_image.jpg" width="625" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-89273312499385101442020-05-08T13:08:00.002-04:002020-05-08T13:08:50.570-04:00MALAYSIA: Opening daycare centres, crafting our fatalities<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="jsx-2316264230 imageSlider" style="position: relative;">
<div class="jsx-2316264230 sliderContainer" style="padding-top: 60%; position: relative;">
<div class="slick-slider slick-initialized" style="-ms-user-select: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; touch-action: pan-y; width: 100%;">
<div class="slick-list" style="display: block; height: 450px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px);">
<div class="slick-track" style="display: block; height: 450px; left: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; opacity: 1; position: relative; top: 0px; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); width: 675px;">
<div aria-hidden="false" class="slick-slide slick-active slick-current" data-index="0" style="display: block; float: left; height: 100%; min-height: 1px; outline-color: invert; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium; width: 675px;" tabindex="-1">
<div>
<div class="jsx-1455981251 image-placeholder" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position-x: 0%; background-position-y: 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto; display: flex; padding-top: 60%; position: relative; width: 100%;">
<img alt="Malaysiakini" class="jsx-1455981251" loading="lazy" src="https://i.newscdn.net/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2020/01/3b83aa764212f8e933593fda9800f4c3.jpg=s660" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; display: block; height: auto; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 100%;" /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078" style="width: 100%;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 category-shared" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; display: flex; margin-top: 20px; width: 100%;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 category-container" style="display: flex; width: 50%;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 category" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-left-radius: 6px; border-bottom-right-radius: 6px; border-top-left-radius: 6px; border-top-right-radius: 6px; color: #757575; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 1.33; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
OPINIONS</div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 shared-container" style="-webkit-box-pack: end; display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; width: 50%;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 addthis_inline_share_toolbox" data-description="Why are we risking our young and the elderly by reopening the economy now?" data-title="COMMENT | Opening daycare centres, crafting our fatalities" data-url="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/523802" style="clear: both;">
<div aria-labelledby="at-f8b7a427-79f5-49f7-94d1-98b4b6467e48" class="at4-jumboshare at-style-responsive addthis-smartlayers addthis-animated at4-show" id="atstbx2" role="region" style="animation-duration: 0.3s; animation-fill-mode: both; animation-timing-function: ease-out; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div>
<table><tbody>
<tr><td class="at4-count-container" style="border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; display: table-cell; min-width: 200px; padding-right: 20px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"><div class="at4-count" style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica neue,arial; font-size: 60px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 60px;">
<span class="at4-spacer" style="display: block; font-size: 25px; height: 1px; line-height: 25px; opacity: 0; visibility: hidden;">0</span><span style="font-size: 25px; line-height: 25px;">314</span></div>
<div class="at4-title" style="bottom: 2px; color: #666666; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; position: relative;">
SHARES</div>
</td><td class="at-resp-share-element at-share-btn-elements at4-share-container" style="display: table-cell; font-size: 0px; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-facebook" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #3b5998; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 26px; border-bottom-right-radius: 26px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 26px; border-top-right-radius: 26px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to Facebook</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-facebook-15" class="at-icon at-icon-facebook" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 22 5.16 c -0.406 -0.054 -1.806 -0.16 -3.43 -0.16 c -3.4 0 -5.733 1.825 -5.733 5.17 v 2.882 H 9 v 3.913 h 3.837 V 27 h 4.604 V 16.965 h 3.823 l 0.587 -3.913 h -4.41 v -2.5 c 0 -1.123 0.347 -1.903 2.198 -1.903 H 22 V 5.16 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-compact" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #ff6550; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 26px; border-bottom-right-radius: 26px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 26px; border-top-right-radius: 26px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to More</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-addthis-16" class="at-icon at-icon-addthis" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 18 14 V 8 h -4 v 6 H 8 v 4 h 6 v 6 h 4 v -6 h 6 v -4 h -6 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<h1 class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078" style="color: #333333; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px;">
COMMENT | Opening daycare centres, crafting our fatalities</h1>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 meta-sizing" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 meta-container" style="display: flex; flex-basis: 0%; flex-grow: 1; flex-shrink: 1;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 image-container" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/malaysiakini.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; border-bottom-left-radius: 100%; border-bottom-right-radius: 100%; border-top-left-radius: 100%; border-top-right-radius: 100%; display: block; height: 73px; margin-right: 15px; width: 73px;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 author-image" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("https://static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/1/azlyrahman.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 100%; border-bottom-right-radius: 100%; border-top-left-radius: 100%; border-top-right-radius: 100%; height: 75px; margin-right: 20px; width: 75px;">
<a class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078" href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="color: #212121; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none;"></a></div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 meta-text" style="-webkit-box-pack: center; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: center; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078"><a class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078" href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="color: #212121; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none;">Azly Rahman</a></strong></div>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 meta" style="color: #666666; display: flex; font-size: 14px; margin-top: 3px;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 publishedDate">
Published <time class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078" datetime="1588484760">3 May 2020, 1:46 am</time></div>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 modifiedDate" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; display: flex;">
Modified 3 May 2020, 4:37 am</div>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 comment_count" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 metaDivider" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; color: #828282; display: flex; line-height: 0.7em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.6em; margin-right: 0.6em; margin-top: 0px;">
<svg color="rgb(130, 130, 130)" fill="currentColor" height="6" size="6" stroke-width="0" stroke="currentColor" style="color: #828282;" viewbox="0 0 8 16" width="6" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M 0 8 c 0 -2.2 1.8 -4 4 -4 s 4 1.8 4 4 s -1.8 4 -4 4 s -4 -1.8 -4 -4 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></svg></div>
<svg fill="currentColor" height="1em" stroke-width="0" stroke="currentColor" style="margin-right: 5px;" viewbox="0 0 16 16" width="1em" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M 14 1 H 2 c -0.55 0 -1 0.45 -1 1 v 8 c 0 0.55 0.45 1 1 1 h 2 v 3.5 L 7.5 11 H 14 c 0.55 0 1 -0.45 1 -1 V 2 c 0 -0.55 -0.45 -1 -1 -1 Z m 0 9 H 7 l -2 2 v -2 H 2 V 2 h 12 v 8 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></svg> 8 </div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 sizing-container" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="jsx-2819576578 sizing" style="-webkit-box-pack: end; display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; width: 110px;">
<button class="jsx-2819576578 increase" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;">A<sup class="jsx-2819576578">+</sup></button><button class="jsx-2819576578 decrease" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: -1px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;">A<sup class="jsx-2819576578">-</sup></button></div>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-1247779301 article-content" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="jsx-1247779301 content" style="font-size: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 30px;">
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">COMMENT</span> | Opening up Malaysian schools soon? The young will bring the virus to the old at home. The oldest of the old will suffer the worst.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Malaysia might see a spike in infected Covid-19 a month after May 4. Learn from Singapore too. First, it was okay, then not okay. Is there enough testing done in Malaysia to reopen the economy? Are you in the government rushing through under an illusion and a nice numbers game? Let us frame this issue of reopening the economy to how the global economy itself is crashing down.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>Young lives at risk</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Will children in daycare wear full-bodied suits and masks all day and be forced into cubicles 6X6 feet to ensure maximum safety? Do children in daycare centres know about "physical distancing"? Isn't it better to still keep them at home for now? How do you ensure that caretakers at the centres are not carriers of Covid-19? Are these centres well-monitored to begin with?</div>
<div id="adComponent">
<div class="jsx-4024520726 adunit-placeholder">
<div class="jsx-4024520726 adUnit" data-google-query-id="CPu1n_jfpOkCFQ8fhwodMdwCpw" id="div-gpt-ad-is" style="-webkit-box-pack: center; display: flex; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 30px;">
<div id="google_ads_iframe_/6929183/MK-EN//News//InStory_0__container__" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0pt; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0pt; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0pt; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0pt;">
<iframe data-google-container-id="4" data-load-complete="true" frameborder="0" height="280" id="google_ads_iframe_/6929183/MK-EN//News//InStory_0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_iframe_/6929183/MK-EN//News//InStory_0" scrolling="no" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="3rd party ad content" width="336"></iframe></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="adComponent">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
O' Malaysians: Why risk the lives of the young (and old too) opening daycare centres now? And schools next, soon?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Children in daycares are the most difficult to take care of without the proper training of caretakers. With Covid-19? Three-quarter of the states in the US have closed schools until the end of the academic year in June. Daycares and pre-kindergartens are especially vulnerable.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
The fear is that in a few weeks after May 4, Malaysia will become Singapore. We too have foreign workers, in fact, millions. Malaysian healthcare workers will have a tough time in a few weeks after May 4 following the rush to open. The virus does not care.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
In Malaysia, it was reported the virus has mutated into a more dangerous strand. Fast and infectious. And you still want to open on May 4? Think!</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2020/04/cac8358770931a66880793c1559147ac.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Would parents dare send their kids to daycare centres and schools at this time? How many out of a million have the Malaysian government tested? To trumpet those nice numbers? In a conversation online, on Facebook, a Silicon-Valley, a California-based Malaysian-born surgeon and a dear friend of mine said:</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
“I don't think Malaysia has the virology capacity to detect any strains or mutations. Any test, regardless of how hi-tech or automated, requires a human skill component to it. Even a simple blood chemistry test could and had been bungled by a careless technician. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
“For clinicians, it is common practice (in fact we would be considered negligent) if we do not repeat the test whose result is at variance with the clinical situation. There are endless reasons for false positives as well as false negatives. The challenge of interpreting screening tests or tests in asymptomatic individuals only compounds the difficulty...“</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
The Malaysian decision to open so soon is like Trump's America in their red states. Stop emulating the US without sufficient data.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>Hypocrisy of Labour Day</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
The nation just celebrated Labour Day. In the year of the pandemic where the spectre of coronavirus is haunting the globe, as Marx and Engle’s would have put it in an updated and revised 2020 version of "The Communist Manifesto".</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
O’ Malaysians: On Labour Day don’t just talk about Marx and Das Kapital. Name your local capitalists - the owners of banks, airlines, plantations, tin mines, oil and gas companies, government-linked companies (GLCs) or the government-linked crony-economy. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Tell us who controls what and the nature of distributive justice, in a world of modern slavery. On Labour Day which labour will the Malaysian NGOs, socialists, wannabe-Marxists, Bangsar liberals champion? Foreign labour? In this post-Covid-19 era, send the illegals and refugees back to their homes. Start building a strong national economy using our own labour.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Bankers will protect their astronomical earnings, bonuses, what they cream off from lenders. They don't care, do they? Chiefs of GLCs are being paid "coronapoliticalload" of money to appease them politically, while the poor stay at home jobless. When we say the economy's bleeding and collapsing statistically, we are hearing the lamentation of the filthy rich.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
It is as if, in the auditorium of the banking drama on moratoriums, the elite gets to go to the sanatorium and the people sent to the crematorium as bankers smoke opium.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Should companies with offshore accounts and foreign headquarters be helped by the government?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2020/04/bdfa388ba10f716f0eb589d80a1bde7f.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Migrant workers are now stuck with no jobs. Danger looms. Perhaps they should journey home and build their nations. Every country is in ruins now. Millions in the US have either lost their jobs or furloughed. Next, - immigration will be suspended to protect jobs for Americans. The condition in Malaysia should be no different.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Billionaires have become beggars to the poor, asking governments to bail them out, and governments wanting workers to get back to work in this time of the peaking Coronavirus outbreak. The poor will die by the millions but oil sheikhs are crying blood now. Oil, the black gold, like blood diamond, is now useless - the classic diamond-water paradox. Life continues to be precious.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Budget airlines holding customers' money for their own bailout, keeping refunds. UK-based Virgin Atlantic is going bankrupt as reported. Most of the world's airlines will be filing for bankruptcy soon.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
These are the questions concerning the global economic collapse.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Society cannot pretend to get back to "normal", using the same paradigm that created a "world of normalcy that is abnormal. In post-Covid-19, the world might not turn socialist <i>in toto</i>, contrary to Marxist hopes. However, it might fuel other forms of crude liberal democracy and monopoly capitalism. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
It might also lead to the next world war, be it with sticks & stones, as in the opening scene of Stanley Kubrick’s cult movie "2001: A Space Odyssey"</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Benjamin Franklin’s America - big business, big banks, monopoly capitalism - defeated Thomas Jeffersonian pastoral-agricultural-philosophical ideal. Today's America is Benjamin Franklin's. Today, Covid-19, with nature as its ally, is destroying Franklin's Paradise. Adam Smith, the grand wizard of classical economics too is weeping – seeing what the “invisible hand” has done to humans, the powerless human beings in face of a global health catastrophe!</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Back to the changing reality of Malaysian politics. Enough of my musings on the butterfly effect of things, of the whirlpool and whirlwinds of the collapsing global economy and of the destruction and deconstruction of a new world order.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Meanwhile in Malaysia, here is our message - Malaysian elected officials, we want to see you live on Zoom in Parliament. Not on golf courses cutting deals and cutting grass. Come May 4, will the Malaysian Parliament, or the People's Daycare Centre, be open for political play too?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Save our children. Save our nation. Stay at home. We are not going back to the old normal.</div>
</div>
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-61921583611834052302020-05-07T22:36:00.001-04:002020-05-07T22:36:13.783-04:00A Malaysian human sacrifice?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="jsx-2316264230 imageSlider" style="position: relative;">
<div class="jsx-2316264230 sliderContainer" style="padding-top: 60%; position: relative;">
<div class="slick-slider slick-initialized" style="-ms-user-select: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; touch-action: pan-y; width: 100%;">
<div class="slick-list" style="display: block; height: 450px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px);">
<div class="slick-track" style="display: block; height: 450px; left: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; opacity: 1; position: relative; top: 0px; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); width: 675px;">
<div aria-hidden="false" class="slick-slide slick-active slick-current" data-index="0" style="display: block; float: left; height: 100%; min-height: 1px; outline-color: invert; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium; width: 675px;" tabindex="-1">
<div>
<div class="jsx-1455981251 image-placeholder" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position-x: 0%; background-position-y: 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto; display: flex; padding-top: 60%; position: relative; width: 100%;">
<img alt="Malaysiakini" class="jsx-1455981251" loading="lazy" src="https://i.newscdn.net/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2020/05/f843f679bd9d9d5981f420057f586326.jpg=s660" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; display: block; height: auto; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 100%;" /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078" style="width: 100%;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 category-shared" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; display: flex; margin-top: 20px; width: 100%;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 category-container" style="display: flex; width: 50%;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 category" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-left-radius: 6px; border-bottom-right-radius: 6px; border-top-left-radius: 6px; border-top-right-radius: 6px; color: #757575; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 1.33; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
OPINIONS</div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 shared-container" style="-webkit-box-pack: end; display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; width: 50%;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 addthis_inline_share_toolbox" data-description="Why are we risking our young and the elderly by reopening the economy now?" data-title="COMMENT | A Malaysian human sacrifice?" data-url="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/524477" style="clear: both;">
<div aria-labelledby="at-38b8f492-7e78-4ae2-ba0f-e09a776dd53f" class="at4-jumboshare at-style-responsive addthis-smartlayers addthis-animated at4-show" id="atstbx2" role="region" style="animation-duration: 0.3s; animation-fill-mode: both; animation-timing-function: ease-out; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div>
<table><tbody>
<tr><td class="at4-count-container" style="border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; display: table-cell; min-width: 200px; padding-right: 20px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"><div class="at4-count" style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica neue,arial; font-size: 60px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 60px;">
<span class="at4-spacer" style="display: block; font-size: 25px; height: 1px; line-height: 25px; opacity: 0; visibility: hidden;">0</span><span style="font-size: 25px; line-height: 25px;">490</span></div>
<div class="at4-title" style="bottom: 2px; color: #666666; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; position: relative;">
SHARES</div>
</td><td class="at-resp-share-element at-share-btn-elements at4-share-container" style="display: table-cell; font-size: 0px; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-facebook" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #3b5998; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 26px; border-bottom-right-radius: 26px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 26px; border-top-right-radius: 26px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to Facebook</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-facebook-15" class="at-icon at-icon-facebook" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 22 5.16 c -0.406 -0.054 -1.806 -0.16 -3.43 -0.16 c -3.4 0 -5.733 1.825 -5.733 5.17 v 2.882 H 9 v 3.913 h 3.837 V 27 h 4.604 V 16.965 h 3.823 l 0.587 -3.913 h -4.41 v -2.5 c 0 -1.123 0.347 -1.903 2.198 -1.903 H 22 V 5.16 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-compact" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #ff6550; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 26px; border-bottom-right-radius: 26px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 26px; border-top-right-radius: 26px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to More</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-addthis-16" class="at-icon at-icon-addthis" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 18 14 V 8 h -4 v 6 H 8 v 4 h 6 v 6 h 4 v -6 h 6 v -4 h -6 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<h1 class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078" style="color: #333333; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px;">
COMMENT | A Malaysian human sacrifice?</h1>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 meta-sizing" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 meta-container" style="display: flex; flex-basis: 0%; flex-grow: 1; flex-shrink: 1;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 image-container" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/malaysiakini.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; border-bottom-left-radius: 100%; border-bottom-right-radius: 100%; border-top-left-radius: 100%; border-top-right-radius: 100%; display: block; height: 73px; margin-right: 15px; width: 73px;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 author-image" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("https://static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/1/azlyrahman.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 100%; border-bottom-right-radius: 100%; border-top-left-radius: 100%; border-top-right-radius: 100%; height: 75px; margin-right: 20px; width: 75px;">
<a class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078" href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="color: #212121; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none;"></a></div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 meta-text" style="-webkit-box-pack: center; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: center; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078"><a class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078" href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="color: #212121; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none;">Azly Rahman</a></strong></div>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 meta" style="color: #666666; display: flex; font-size: 14px; margin-top: 3px;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 publishedDate">
Published <time class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078" datetime="1588808580">6 May 2020, 7:43 pm</time></div>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 modifiedDate" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; display: flex;">
Modified 6 May 2020, 7:44 pm</div>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 comment_count" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 metaDivider" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; color: #828282; display: flex; line-height: 0.7em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.6em; margin-right: 0.6em; margin-top: 0px;">
<svg color="rgb(130, 130, 130)" fill="currentColor" height="6" size="6" stroke-width="0" stroke="currentColor" style="color: #828282;" viewbox="0 0 8 16" width="6" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M 0 8 c 0 -2.2 1.8 -4 4 -4 s 4 1.8 4 4 s -1.8 4 -4 4 s -4 -1.8 -4 -4 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></svg></div>
<svg fill="currentColor" height="1em" stroke-width="0" stroke="currentColor" style="margin-right: 5px;" viewbox="0 0 16 16" width="1em" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M 14 1 H 2 c -0.55 0 -1 0.45 -1 1 v 8 c 0 0.55 0.45 1 1 1 h 2 v 3.5 L 7.5 11 H 14 c 0.55 0 1 -0.45 1 -1 V 2 c 0 -0.55 -0.45 -1 -1 -1 Z m 0 9 H 7 l -2 2 v -2 H 2 V 2 h 12 v 8 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></svg> 32 </div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078 sizing-container" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="jsx-2819576578 sizing" style="-webkit-box-pack: end; display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; width: 110px;">
<button class="jsx-2819576578 increase" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;">A<sup class="jsx-2819576578">+</sup></button><button class="jsx-2819576578 decrease" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: -1px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;">A<sup class="jsx-2819576578">-</sup></button></div>
<div class="jsx-3313307013 jsx-1161791078">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-1247779301 article-content" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="jsx-1247779301 content" style="font-size: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 30px;">
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">COMMENT</span> | Malaysians opening up the economy too fast is human sacrifice, I’d say. I can’t put it any milder after learning from the case of the US and New York City as the world’s epicentre.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
I have taught world history as well and the history of global infectious diseases. Learn particularly from the 1918 pandemic (the Spanish Flu which started in Kansas, US). Learn from the US today, after the protests in its red states. The economy can wait to recover. Lives lost prematurely can't be your policy!</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Why are we risking our young and the elderly by reopening the economy now? How many spikes in cases and how many deaths do you wish to see?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Malaysia will see a spike in Covid-19 cases. A month after May 4. Too eager to open. Too slow in thinking that we can still wait and use data to predict and project and take precautions. Opening daycare centres is a huge mistake. Child fatality next? Think!</div>
<div id="adComponent">
<div class="jsx-4024520726 adunit-placeholder">
<div class="jsx-4024520726 adUnit" id="div-gpt-ad-is" style="-webkit-box-pack: center; display: flex; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 30px;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
A recent international report on the human predicament in the US during this pandemic reads:</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
"The relaxation of social-distancing rules will more than offset any decline in transmissions that might come from warmer weather and stronger containment measures, such as more wide-scale testing and tracing the contacts of infected people so they too can be tested and isolated, Murray said." (Dr Christopher Murray of the University of Washington’s Institute of Health Metrics [IHME]).</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
The revised IHME projections coincided with the disclosure of an internal Trump administration forecast predicting a surge in Covid-19 cases killing 3,000 Americans a day by the end of May, up from a current daily toll that a <i>Reuters</i> tally places at around 2,000.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
That projection, first reported by the <i>New York Times</i> and confirmed by a <i>Reuters</i> source, also forecast about 200,000 new coronavirus cases each day by the end of the month, up from the current rate of about 25,000 cases every 24 hours.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Every country must ask also this question: What if the vaccine still cannot be developed as fast as it can to stop the death of millions? What radical adjustments to everything should be made? </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Scenarios are good. Best case and worst case. Alternate reality should be crafted and lived in. Not lamenting things past. We must learn to get used to changes so abrupt that our psychological and cultural well-being will be radically affected. Change can be painful, especially as “economic beings” (<i>homo economicus</i>) our lives collectively is dictated both by the state and by market forces.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Today we are seeing the welfare state taking care of those whose lives have been ravaged by the design of free enterprise. Covid-19 is like George Soros and his band of currency traders, only that the former cannot be seen and wreaks planet-wide havoc.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2020/05/ecfb156c8812c541e904b942619fc253.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /><figcaption style="color: #757575; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; margin-top: 10px;">Foreign workers line up to be tested for Covid-19 at Pudu.</figcaption></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Okay, enough of the base-economic and “Vladimir Lenin’s Commanding Heights” stuff I just threw into the mix of our discussion on the global-economic-matrix of the impact of Covid-19. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
We were supposed to talk about this “human sacrifice” the current government is engaging in. By opening up too soon, so that money can be made. So that the workers, legal and illegal, can be called back to work. There are more than two million of them, whose fate we can no longer ascertain.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
The recent <a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/523542" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">raid</a> on undocumented migrants is bringing us into the idea of what we wish to salvage as a nation. As a country still struggling to forge a better understanding amongst the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Orang Asli, Iban, Kadasan-Dusun, and others that have been here since before and after independence, as legal Malaysians.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Then the undocumented migrants arrived. By the hundreds of thousands. The addiction of the owners of the means of production to profit immensely through the system of modern-day slavery. Now we have got a major problem of what to do with them, when our economy had just nose-dived, tanked!</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Millions of undocumented migrants hoping for jobs. Some 200,000 Rohingya refugees hoping for citizenship. Legal citizens hoping they will still have jobs. Graduates don't have a clue what awaits them. Government still thinking in the pre-Industry 4.0 paradigm. Chaotic thinking must be fixed. Now.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Post-Covid-19, each country must take care of her own citizens. The world has changed. Nationalism is back in popular demand. We are all economic beings, tied to the dictates of citizenship. No jobs anymore for undocumented migrants and hopeful refugees. New reality.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
For Malaysia, having millions of undocumented migrants is not a good policy to develop her economy. Train the locals first. Fix our labour laws to meet the need of social regeneration and the goals of sustainability rather than think of making immense profits entirely. Herein lie the miseducation of the human rights activists, I sense.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
In conclusion, I am writing this article on the “human sacrifice” on a national scale, poorly planned by the current government. A rush job inviting fatalities. It is May 6. We will know of the casualties of this war by June 6. Perhaps. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
I hope we will not be another Italy. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Or the US. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
In our haste to make money.</div>
</div>
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-46265485247050392452020-03-10T19:01:00.000-04:002020-03-10T19:01:01.623-04:00Will Malaysia's coronapolitics destroy our educational hope?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="jsx-2806816262" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="jsx-2316264230 imageSlider" style="position: relative;">
<div class="jsx-2316264230 sliderContainer" style="padding-top: 60%; position: relative;">
<div class="slick-slider slick-initialized" style="-ms-user-select: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; touch-action: pan-y; width: 100%;">
<div class="slick-list" style="display: block; height: 450px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px);">
<div class="slick-track" style="display: block; height: 450px; left: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; opacity: 1; position: relative; top: 0px; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); width: 675px;">
<div aria-hidden="false" class="slick-slide slick-active slick-current" data-index="0" style="display: block; float: left; height: 100%; min-height: 1px; outline-color: invert; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium; width: 675px;" tabindex="-1">
<div>
<div class="jsx-1455981251 image-placeholder" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position-x: 0%; background-position-y: 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto; display: flex; padding-top: 60%; position: relative; width: 100%;">
<img alt="Malaysiakini" class="jsx-1455981251" loading="lazy" src="https://i.newscdn.net/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2020/03/7047a66774c1a67c1b05b8e4dbe7dccd.jpg=s660" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; display: block; height: auto; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 100%;" /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-2806816262" style="width: 100%;">
<div class="jsx-2806816262 category-shared" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; display: flex; margin-top: 20px; width: 100%;">
<div class="jsx-2806816262 category-container" style="display: flex; width: 50%;">
<div class="jsx-2806816262 category" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-left-radius: 6px; border-bottom-right-radius: 6px; border-top-left-radius: 6px; border-top-right-radius: 6px; color: #757575; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 1.33; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
OPINIONS</div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-2806816262 shared-container" style="-webkit-box-pack: end; display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; width: 50%;">
<div class="jsx-2806816262 addthis_inline_share_toolbox" data-description="COMMENT | Education is Malaysia's biggest failure. That's where we breed race and religious bigotry." data-title="Will Malaysia's coronapolitics destroy our educational hope?" data-url="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/514012" style="clear: both;">
<div aria-labelledby="at-19cd48bf-662d-4453-8171-aa26c17b47f3" class="at4-jumboshare at-style-responsive addthis-smartlayers addthis-animated at4-show" id="atstbx2" role="region" style="animation-duration: 0.3s; animation-fill-mode: both; animation-timing-function: ease-out; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div>
<table><tbody>
<tr><td class="at-resp-share-element at-share-btn-elements at4-share-container" style="display: table-cell; font-size: 0px; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-facebook" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #3b5998; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 26px; border-bottom-right-radius: 26px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 26px; border-top-right-radius: 26px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to Facebook</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-facebook-15" class="at-icon at-icon-facebook" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 22 5.16 c -0.406 -0.054 -1.806 -0.16 -3.43 -0.16 c -3.4 0 -5.733 1.825 -5.733 5.17 v 2.882 H 9 v 3.913 h 3.837 V 27 h 4.604 V 16.965 h 3.823 l 0.587 -3.913 h -4.41 v -2.5 c 0 -1.123 0.347 -1.903 2.198 -1.903 H 22 V 5.16 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-compact" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #ff6550; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 26px; border-bottom-right-radius: 26px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 26px; border-top-right-radius: 26px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to More</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-addthis-16" class="at-icon at-icon-addthis" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 18 14 V 8 h -4 v 6 H 8 v 4 h 6 v 6 h 4 v -6 h 6 v -4 h -6 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<h1 class="jsx-2806816262" style="color: #333333; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px;">
Will Malaysia's coronapolitics destroy our educational hope?</h1>
<div class="jsx-2806816262 meta-sizing" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="jsx-2806816262 meta-container" style="display: flex; flex-basis: 0%; flex-grow: 1; flex-shrink: 1;">
<div class="jsx-2806816262 image-container" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/malaysiakini.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; border-bottom-left-radius: 100%; border-bottom-right-radius: 100%; border-top-left-radius: 100%; border-top-right-radius: 100%; display: block; height: 73px; margin-right: 15px; width: 73px;">
<div class="jsx-2806816262 author-image" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("https://static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/1/azlyrahman.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 100%; border-bottom-right-radius: 100%; border-top-left-radius: 100%; border-top-right-radius: 100%; height: 75px; margin-right: 20px; width: 75px;">
<a class="jsx-2806816262" href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="color: #212121; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none;"></a></div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-2806816262 meta-text" style="-webkit-box-pack: center; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: center; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="jsx-2806816262" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong class="jsx-2806816262"><a class="jsx-2806816262" href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="color: #212121; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none;">Azly Rahman</a></strong></div>
<div class="jsx-2806816262 meta" style="color: #666666; display: flex; font-size: 14px; margin-top: 3px;">
<div class="jsx-2806816262" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column;">
<div class="jsx-2806816262 publishedDate">
Published <time class="jsx-2806816262" datetime="1583816384">12:59 am</time></div>
<div class="jsx-2806816262 comment_count" style="display: flex;">
<div class="jsx-2806816262 metaDivider" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; color: #828282; display: flex; line-height: 0.7em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.6em; margin-right: 0.6em; margin-top: 0px;">
<svg color="rgb(130, 130, 130)" fill="currentColor" height="6" size="6" stroke-width="0" stroke="currentColor" style="color: #828282;" viewbox="0 0 8 16" width="6" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M 0 8 c 0 -2.2 1.8 -4 4 -4 s 4 1.8 4 4 s -1.8 4 -4 4 s -4 -1.8 -4 -4 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></svg></div>
12 <svg fill="currentColor" height="1em" stroke-width="0" stroke="currentColor" viewbox="0 0 16 16" width="1em" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M 14 1 H 2 c -0.55 0 -1 0.45 -1 1 v 8 c 0 0.55 0.45 1 1 1 h 2 v 3.5 L 7.5 11 H 14 c 0.55 0 1 -0.45 1 -1 V 2 c 0 -0.55 -0.45 -1 -1 -1 Z m 0 9 H 7 l -2 2 v -2 H 2 V 2 h 12 v 8 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></svg></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-2806816262 sizing-container" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="jsx-2819576578 sizing" style="-webkit-box-pack: end; display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; width: 110px;">
<button class="jsx-2819576578 increase" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;">A<sup class="jsx-2819576578">+</sup></button><button class="jsx-2819576578 decrease" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: -1px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;">A<sup class="jsx-2819576578">-</sup></button></div>
<div class="jsx-2806816262">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-4064603974 article-content" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="jsx-4064603974 content" style="font-size: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 30px;">
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">COMMENT</span> | You may all have known of my passion for education. Out of the more than 500 articles I have written, over the last 15 years of writing for the public, over 33 years of teaching, perhaps more than 60 percent addressed education and critical consciousness taking Malaysia as case study, framed within the context of global and comparative education. But how can a sound and sane education system be borne out of a regime change that was forced-delivered out of the birthing room of <b><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/512735" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Malay coronaviral politics</a></b>? </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>Our concern for our children</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
As yours too, my concern is simple:</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
In the hands of leaders who do not have the idea of the political-economic, macro, and micro, or even neurological aspects of education, or even worse, those who do not have the experience of being in a classroom developing minds, we will be heading towards the doom mentioned above.</div>
<div id="adComponent">
<div class="jsx-4281975159 adunit-placeholder">
<div class="jsx-4281975159 adUnit" id="div-gpt-ad-is" style="-webkit-box-pack: center; display: flex; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 30px;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
In the hands of those whose interest is to continue to divide and rule and reproduce beings into racists and religious bigots in a multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi-religious, multi-talented society, we will create an education system of social reproduction that will produce and reproduce more and more human beings ready to go to war with one another - whatever we may call a "war" is - when it comes to hidden and visible war to protect each other’s racial and religious interests. Besides protecting wealth and power.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
This is my fear of the power of the "social conveyer belt" in education! What are we seeing reproduced?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
What must we demand of the new ("illegitimate") government as it finalised the installation of the chief execution officers of education who will not butcher the future of our children?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Education is Malaysia's biggest failure. That's where we breed race and religious bigotry. How long will this last? Will Malaysian education continue to be in the hands of "the rats mending the pumpkin"? As the Malay proverb, “<i>seperti tikus membaiki labu</i>” goes? This is my concern, as well as those fed-up with the never-ending politics of the “game of toilet bowls”, sacrificing the future of our children.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>Coronapolitical regime</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Only a people's choice government, betrayal-free can last long. Not the old-greedy Pakatan Harapan-type. Not the new one either! Is a new regime comes with a new spirit? Not necessarily. Individuals cannot be separated from ideology. Anti-multiculturalist-backdoor, we are seen parachuted into this new set-up, deemed by many observers, as an illegitimate child of a <b><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/511975" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">coronapolitical coup</a></b>. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Mahathirism has ended. We must rejoice. But we have entered a new age. Of uncertainty and fear and no cure. Of Malay-coronapolitics. Voters took their responsibility seriously. Harapan fooled them quickly. All ended in idiocy.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
We have a prime minister who thinks “Malay first and Malaysian later” in a cabinet pushing for the agenda of Malay-Salafi-Wahabbi only. I’d say: Why not be human beings first, Malaysian second, and Malay next? Wouldn’t this kind of thinking help up move forward? </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2020/03/52759efafc7ea202a4df3c34ef38f4ba.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Harapan under Dr Mahathir Mohamad too was not keen on pushing the agenda for racial justice and harmony, through education. The goal of the new coalition, through education, as we may predict, is to render the non-Malays and non- Muslims inferior to Malay-Muslims, as citizens. Looks like there will be no hope for Malaysians to be Malaysians in a country heading towards damnation.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Imagine too those about to be prosecuted for crimes against the nation - may be scott-free? Is this divine justice? Today's Malay politics: about the war to be billionaires as fast as one's term of service allows. We voted for that game show!</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
I don’t know if any of you were interested in the announcement of the <b><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/513923" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">new cabinet</a></b>, when all is about a robbers' banquet? In the new game, even PAS will gradually gobble up Umno. Because one is more religious than the other. Fit to rule in toto.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
The <i>hudud</i> might become the preferred form of punishment. There will be a great push for this. Thought-police and moral-police will be twin ideological state apparatuses of the new regime. "Liberals" will be hunted down. Malaysia's new regime will pave the way for that "Islamic state" many longed for. Start reading Margaret Atwood’s A Handmaid's Tale, may we?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
The gradual closing of the corruption cases will signify the highest form of hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy of the new regime. It will be a government based on both, revenge and the insatiable urge to plunder. Race-religion as twin-turbo-force. The goal of the new regime is to make Ketuanan-Melayu-Salafi-Wahabbi take over everything. Education, especially.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
As a political observer, my fear is non-Malays will not have a future in the new society, even if Mahathirists take over. The new regime is beginning to be swallowed alive by the race and religious deep state. A fatal game, selling off Malaysians.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Malaysia, you and I fear, is on its way to total political collapse and the eighteen months of Harapan seemed just a figment of our imagination. We are back to square one, with even worse politics of vengeance continuing. When in the world and hell-when are we going to progress?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>In conclusion</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
In the entire scheme, this is my conclusion: Malaysia’s coronapolitics is merely an internal class war. Between billionaires from BN and wannabe millionaires from Harapan. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Of immediate concern to us is the future of education. Will it continue to create coronaviral politicians only good at killing one another through back door deals, backstabbings, and backing each other who were robbers in this epic of Ali Baba and the now perhaps 222 thieves?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
I don’t know. Do we all - anymore? We are tired, aren’t we? </div>
</div>
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-43824648804458257842020-03-01T22:18:00.002-05:002020-03-01T22:18:56.316-05:00Malaysia's 'coronapolitics' not a game of thrones, but toilet bowls<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="jsx-402711765" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="jsx-3576665490 imageSlider" style="position: relative;">
<div class="jsx-3576665490 sliderContainer">
<div class="slick-slider slick-initialized" style="-ms-user-select: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; position: relative; touch-action: pan-y;">
<div class="slick-list" style="display: block; height: 450px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px);">
<div class="slick-track" style="display: block; height: 450px; left: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; opacity: 1; position: relative; top: 0px; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); width: 675px;">
<div aria-hidden="false" class="slick-slide slick-active slick-current" data-index="0" style="display: block; float: left; height: 100%; min-height: 1px; outline-color: invert; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium; width: 675px;" tabindex="-1">
<div>
<div class="jsx-2737943948 image-placeholder" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position-x: 0%; background-position-y: 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto; display: flex; padding-top: 56%; position: relative; width: 100%;">
<img alt="Malaysiakini" class="jsx-2737943948" loading="lazy" src="https://i.newscdn.net/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2020/03/f52e5ed54ca4fe5712c295d3d93c4fab.jpg=s660" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; display: block; height: auto; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 100%;" /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-402711765" style="width: 100%;">
<div class="jsx-402711765 category-shared" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; display: flex; margin-top: 20px; width: 100%;">
<div class="jsx-402711765 category-container" style="display: flex; width: 50%;">
<div class="jsx-402711765 category" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-left-radius: 6px; border-bottom-right-radius: 6px; border-top-left-radius: 6px; border-top-right-radius: 6px; color: #757575; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 1.33; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
OPINIONS</div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-402711765 shared-container" style="-webkit-box-pack: end; display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; width: 50%;">
<div class="jsx-402711765 addthis_inline_share_toolbox" data-description="News and views that matter" data-title="Malaysiakini" data-url="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/512735" style="clear: both;">
<div aria-labelledby="at-454987e5-c390-47b5-a774-e0ccde4d4d78" class="at4-jumboshare at-style-responsive addthis-smartlayers addthis-animated at4-show" id="atstbx2" role="region" style="animation-duration: 0.3s; animation-fill-mode: both; animation-timing-function: ease-out; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div>
<table><tbody>
<tr><td class="at4-count-container" style="border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; display: table-cell; min-width: 200px; padding-right: 20px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"><div class="at4-count" style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica neue,arial; font-size: 60px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 60px;">
<span class="at4-spacer" style="display: block; font-size: 25px; height: 1px; line-height: 25px; opacity: 0; visibility: hidden;">0</span><span style="font-size: 25px; line-height: 25px;">3.8K</span></div>
<div class="at4-title" style="bottom: 2px; color: #666666; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; position: relative;">
SHARES</div>
</td><td class="at-resp-share-element at-share-btn-elements at4-share-container" style="display: table-cell; font-size: 0px; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-facebook" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #3b5998; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 26px; border-bottom-right-radius: 26px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 26px; border-top-right-radius: 26px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to Facebook</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-facebook-15" class="at-icon at-icon-facebook" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 22 5.16 c -0.406 -0.054 -1.806 -0.16 -3.43 -0.16 c -3.4 0 -5.733 1.825 -5.733 5.17 v 2.882 H 9 v 3.913 h 3.837 V 27 h 4.604 V 16.965 h 3.823 l 0.587 -3.913 h -4.41 v -2.5 c 0 -1.123 0.347 -1.903 2.198 -1.903 H 22 V 5.16 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-compact" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #ff6550; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 26px; border-bottom-right-radius: 26px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 26px; border-top-right-radius: 26px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to More</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-addthis-16" class="at-icon at-icon-addthis" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 18 14 V 8 h -4 v 6 H 8 v 4 h 6 v 6 h 4 v -6 h 6 v -4 h -6 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<h1 class="jsx-402711765" style="color: #333333; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px;">
Our 'coronapolitics' not a game of thrones, but toilet bowls</h1>
<div class="jsx-402711765 meta-sizing" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="jsx-402711765 meta-container" style="display: flex; flex-basis: 0%; flex-grow: 1; flex-shrink: 1;">
<div class="jsx-402711765 image-container" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/malaysiakini.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; border-bottom-left-radius: 100%; border-bottom-right-radius: 100%; border-top-left-radius: 100%; border-top-right-radius: 100%; display: block; height: 73px; margin-right: 15px; width: 73px;">
<div class="jsx-402711765 author-image" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("https://static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/1/azlyrahman.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 100%; border-bottom-right-radius: 100%; border-top-left-radius: 100%; border-top-right-radius: 100%; height: 75px; margin-right: 20px; width: 75px;">
<a class="jsx-402711765" href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="color: #212121; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none;"></a></div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-402711765 meta-text" style="-webkit-box-pack: center; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: center; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="jsx-402711765" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong class="jsx-402711765"><a class="jsx-402711765" href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="color: #212121; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none;">Azly Rahman</a></strong></div>
<div class="jsx-402711765 meta" style="color: #666666; display: flex; font-size: 14px; margin-top: 3px;">
<div class="jsx-402711765" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column;">
<div class="jsx-402711765 publishedDate">
Published <time class="jsx-402711765" datetime="1583035193">29 Feb 2020, 10:59 pm</time></div>
<div class="jsx-402711765 comment_count" style="display: flex;">
<div class="jsx-402711765 metaDivider" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; color: #828282; display: flex; line-height: 0.7em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.6em; margin-right: 0.6em; margin-top: 0px;">
<svg color="rgb(130, 130, 130)" fill="currentColor" height="6" size="6" stroke-width="0" stroke="currentColor" style="color: #828282;" viewbox="0 0 8 16" width="6" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M 0 8 c 0 -2.2 1.8 -4 4 -4 s 4 1.8 4 4 s -1.8 4 -4 4 s -4 -1.8 -4 -4 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></svg></div>
33 <svg fill="currentColor" height="1em" stroke-width="0" stroke="currentColor" viewbox="0 0 16 16" width="1em" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M 14 1 H 2 c -0.55 0 -1 0.45 -1 1 v 8 c 0 0.55 0.45 1 1 1 h 2 v 3.5 L 7.5 11 H 14 c 0.55 0 1 -0.45 1 -1 V 2 c 0 -0.55 -0.45 -1 -1 -1 Z m 0 9 H 7 l -2 2 v -2 H 2 V 2 h 12 v 8 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></svg></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-402711765 sizing-container">
<div class="jsx-2819576578 sizing" style="-webkit-box-pack: end; display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; width: 110px;">
<button class="jsx-2819576578 increase" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;">A<sup class="jsx-2819576578">+</sup></button><button class="jsx-2819576578 decrease" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: -1px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;">A<sup class="jsx-2819576578">-</sup></button></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="jsx-2959762254 article-content" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="jsx-2959762254 content" style="font-size: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 30px;">
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">COMMENT | </span>What is "Malay-coronapolitics"? It is when the old and new are infected by the same deadly breath of stinky politics.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Malaysia will soon become just like Nicaragua, a banana republic. Tinpot politicians ruling. And please stop calling it a "Game of Thrones", that is too honourable. The fiasco should be called the "Game of Toilet Bowls", with musical chairs.</div>
<div id="adComponent">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
It is not about the transition of power but of Mahathir Mohamad who allegedly created a system of greed, of authoritarianism in his 22-odd years of Umno culture in him. First, they fought when they were in Umno. Now, when they in a cloned party, the rakyat suffers.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground, says an African proverb. In Malaysia, these old men burn everything. <i>Kubur kata mari. Rakyat kata pergi</i>. How I love this new Malay saying.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Instead of being wise, old leaders, they became better at conning each other. Pathetic, grumpy, vengeful, stinky old men they are.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>Numbers game? </b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
When a politician says "I have the numbers" I thought he meant Sports Toto. Or, when they say “I have the numbers”, they mean I have contact numbers of "frogs" that could jump at a moment's phone call. How honourable is the fate of Malaysians when it rests merely on the politics of "I have the numbers".</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
But welcome to Malaysia's "coronapolitics" where kleptocrats will get their grand pardon. A never-ending game.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
GE14 was a great con-game by the great con-artists. The people who voted cried in joy. But now, conned to tears. The novelist Shannon Ahmad was perceptive and prophetic when he wrote the postmodern political novel, <i>Shit</i>. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
I am reading <i>Shit</i> again now. This truly is not a "Game of Thrones" I repeat. But a "Game of Toilet Bowls". Never glamorise filth. Those fighting for the country's loot are ex-Umno. Same old game. Only they got older. Really old.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
In Malaysia, maybe we should not anyone above 70 to be the country's leader. Look at Donald Trump. We ought to study gerontology. When an old man becomes so powerful, nothing matters to him. He will bulldoze everything. Never cross his path. The ugliness of gerontological politics has dawned upon Malaysians. The damage is irreversible. The worse is yet to come.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
And I read that the attorney-general Tommy Thomas (<i>photo</i>) has resigned? What a mess this country is in. So many fake news flying around while a fake government consisting of political frogs is being installed.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/1352/e33ebb11bc8084514a9408bd30f570c8.jpeg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
But seriously, our national energy should be on preparing to deal with Covid-19, not some stupid power grab. These pathetic politicians are, perhaps, already billionaires, capitalising on their mastery of fooling people all these years. Mostly these pathetic politicians want to get up there only to ride the gravy train. Not to serve the people. Parasites.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Why not pay MPs the same salary as fresh graduates until they prove their worth? Get them to they use Grab, too. They do not deserve to be treated like kings and queens when they are prone to plunder the nation and con the voters.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>Wrong steps</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Today, suddenly, all Umno folks under investigation for all kinds of white-collar crimes are getting a libido-rush and their spirits surging like the Kelantan wau bulan. A Malay-Freudian moment. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/1290/8921adb89e6d4129a6d41fa9a211849a.jpeg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
All these "Langkah Kajang", "Langkah Port Dickson", "Langkah Sheraton", "Langkah Senget", or even better "Langkah Shaitan" - not Sheraton - are maybe giant steps to Sungai Buluh Prison.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Many wanted to become the prime minister. That is part of the problem. Create more prime minister jobs, more ministerial posts, more posts with power attached. Power to rule over others. To feel important and be worshipped and crafted and curated well by the media. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Yes, create more positions. A simple supply-demand issue solved. Law of diminishing sanity. Why not have 10 prime ministers and offer them each minimum wage. See how well they would work to keep their jobs.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Alas, after 30 years of writing about Mahathirism and Malaysian politics, I feel I have nothing much to write about anymore. I feel that these politicians are not interested in doing good work for the good of the nation. Only dirty work for their own good. I don't know how many lives politicians have and how many layers of shame their faces are blessed with. Mascara of mangled personae.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Our nation will be in deep turmoil, yet again. Another Bersih-type rally is needed, perhaps?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
The ugliness of race and religion politics will be back in full swing. Damn these politicians! </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
The return of Umno culture, with unsavoury characters as leaders, supported by Ali Baba and his 40 thieves. That's our story.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Look what the old man has done? He has destroyed democracy over and over again and still want to keep the nation ransom. No shame. He wanted to be known as a "statesman" but ended up a "staleman". He well overstayed his welcome. Power and greed got the best of him.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>Master strategy?</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
These politicians we gave our vote to can't even work together. These clowns. How can they govern so that the people of all races can work together as well?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Those who marvelled that man as a "master strategist" do not have an idea of how pathetic our politics has become under him. We read about the day Mahathir quit. Resigned. The ministers lost their job. Then Mahathir got his job back in a day. He got everybody's job. All for himself. Then a counter-coup happened. Aren’t we tired of reading about this nonsense? At a time of coronavirus, we are forced to read about this Malay coronapolitics. How pathetic.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Call for new elections. This is the only way to do justice to the voters who were fooled, lied to all this while. Three decades of Mahathir rule direct or indirectly, have created a democracy dead on the inside. Pathetic patronage system we have seen being cultivated.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Crazy, is it not? You don't like somebody till death, you burn the entire village. This insane move is like removing the handcuffs from those being prosecuted in the 1MDB scandal. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Ali Baba and his 40 thieves will escape in joy. Chaos! </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Bursa Malaysia will continue to shake and rattle. All the fish in the ocean of coronapolitics, big and small, will be jumping ashore running away. What a way to destroy the economy.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>What unity government?</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
A “unity government” was earlier proposed. A unity government in a toxic political environment? Who decides on the composition? One man again? His self and his age are two of Mahathir's greatest enemies he must confront in his final battle over time. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
The rakyat is tired of reading about this nonsense in Malaysian politics. Whether you call it realism or realpolitik or any other fancy name, it is insulting our intelligence.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
In the ultimate analysis, how dare these politicians in Pakatan Harapan destroy that bit of remaining hope for reform they promised? Just because they think they can do anything. The voters are now angry and want to go to the polls to choose real leaders, not clowns and conmen and women.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
This species called politicians beg for your votes so that they could play their Game of Toilet Bowls all night long. In this kind of toxic and pathetic political culture, we may see a change of government every year as in many failed nations.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
In the year of Vision 2020, we have destroyed what we planned to be. Total chaos. Because one man wanted it all. What a shameful country Malaysia is. Can't even have a decent leader elected through a good and clean political culture.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2020/02/ab1d75d452e424028e3161d0fccaf7a8.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Though costly, a new election is needed to choose apples or oranges or durians. Voters need to decide and to punish betrayers.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>What now?</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
We will have a <i>kamikaze</i> government doing a <i>seppuku </i>on itself. Imagine the governmental disruption, the fiasco that this game of toilet bowls has caused in the name of greed and selfishness. Imagine the chaos in all states? Just imagine what we are now made to become?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
What then must we do? We are super sick of being mere spectators while Ali Baba and the 40 thieves are having their last laugh - escaping prosecution. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Can't we salvage some things?</div>
</div>
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-80314513627742999822020-02-23T21:07:00.002-05:002020-02-23T21:07:41.364-05:00Will Malaysian voters accept this backdoor-government?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="uk-card-media-top uk-position-relative" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="hero-img placeholderAnim" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px;">
<img alt="" class="uk-width-1-1" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2019/12/1831d7e427a6b1c1f77e03bef927fdb3.jpg=s660" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%;" />
</div>
</div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<div class="uk-flex uk-flex-middle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; align-items: center; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; color: #666666; display: flex; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; min-height: 125px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="width: 100%;">
<div class="category-shared" style="align-items: center; display: flex; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-top: 20px; width: 100%;">
<div class="category-container" style="display: flex; width: 50%;">
<div class="category" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-left-radius: 6px; border-bottom-right-radius: 6px; border-top-left-radius: 6px; border-top-right-radius: 6px; color: #757575; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 1.33; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<strong style="font-weight: bolder;">Opinion</strong></div>
</div>
<div class="uk-flex uk-flex-right shared-container" style="display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; width: 50%;">
<div class="addthis_inline_share_toolbox_qzgm" data-description="COMMENT | This magnitude of no-shame politics would derail all possible plans for a truly multicultural social evolution." data-title="Will the rakyat, accept this backdoor-government?" data-url="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/511975" style="clear: both;">
<div aria-labelledby="at-4cc4da0d-d8d8-434d-9b1a-d59cf70fbea9" class="at4-jumboshare at-style-responsive addthis-smartlayers addthis-animated at4-show" id="atstbx2" role="region" style="animation-duration: 0.3s; animation-fill-mode: both; animation-timing-function: ease-out; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div>
<table><tbody>
<tr><td class="at4-count-container" style="border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; display: table-cell; min-width: 200px; padding-right: 20px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"><div class="at4-count" style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica neue,arial; font-size: 60px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 60px;">
<span class="at4-spacer" style="display: block; font-size: 25px; height: 1px; line-height: 25px; opacity: 0; visibility: hidden;">0</span><span style="font-size: 60px; line-height: 60px;">1.5K</span></div>
<div class="at4-title" style="bottom: 2px; color: #666666; font-size: 18px; line-height: 18px; position: relative;">
SHARES</div>
</td><td class="at-resp-share-element at-share-btn-elements at4-share-container" style="display: table-cell; font-size: 0px; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-facebook" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #3b5998; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 24px; border-bottom-right-radius: 24px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 24px; border-top-right-radius: 24px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to Facebook</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-facebook-15" class="at-icon at-icon-facebook" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: middle; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 22 5.16 c -0.406 -0.054 -1.806 -0.16 -3.43 -0.16 c -3.4 0 -5.733 1.825 -5.733 5.17 v 2.882 H 9 v 3.913 h 3.837 V 27 h 4.604 V 16.965 h 3.823 l 0.587 -3.913 h -4.41 v -2.5 c 0 -1.123 0.347 -1.903 2.198 -1.903 H 22 V 5.16 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-compact" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #ff6550; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 24px; border-bottom-right-radius: 24px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 24px; border-top-right-radius: 24px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to More</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-addthis-16" class="at-icon at-icon-addthis" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: middle; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 18 14 V 8 h -4 v 6 H 8 v 4 h 6 v 6 h 4 v -6 h 6 v -4 h -6 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<h1 class="uk-margin-small" style="color: #333333; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; text-transform: none;">
Will the rakyat, accept this backdoor-government?</h1>
<div class="meta-sizing" style="align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="uk-grid uk-grid-small meta-container" style="display: flex; flex-basis: 0%; flex-direction: row; flex-grow: 1; flex-shrink: 1; flex-wrap: wrap; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" uk-grid="">
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-first-column" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div class="uk-background-cover uk-position-relative" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/malaysiakini.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; margin-bottom: 0px; position: relative; width: 60px;">
<div class="uk-background-cover" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/1/azlyrahman.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; width: 60px;">
</div>
<a class="uk-position-cover" href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="bottom: 0px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; left: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-decoration: none; top: 0px;"></a>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-flex uk-flex-middle uk-text-small" style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px;">
<div class="uk-text-uppercase" style="letter-spacing: 0.5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<strong style="font-weight: bolder;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="color: #212121; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Azly Rahman</a></strong>
</div>
<div class="uk-text-meta" style="color: #999999; display: block; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.4;">
Published: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2020-02-24 08:59:00+08:00" style="margin-right: 15px;">7:59 pm</time> |
Modified: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2020-02-24 09:41:18+08:00" style="margin-right: 15px;">8:41 pm</time>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-margin print-hide sizing" style="display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; width: 110px;">
<button class="sizing-btn plus" id="incfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">+</sup></span> </button>
<button class="sizing-btn minus" id="decfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">-</sup></span> </button>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; padding-top: 30px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="mk-content-text" id="article_content">
<div class="content-drop">
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<span style="color: blue;">COMMENT</span> | Chaos. Mayhem The coronavirus infection of Malaysian politics. Something we have expected to happen but unsure if it would happen. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Until yesterday when hell broke loose and the total damage to our political-economic and social stability is yet to be seen.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
What a betrayal. What a bunch of losers we voted into power back in May, two years ago. Little did the voters knew that this magnitude of no-shame politics would happen, derailing all the possible plans we had for a truly multicultural social evolution.</div>
<div class="uk-margin-medium-top uk-text-center text-ad" style="color: #999999; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 2px; margin-top: 40px; text-align: center;">
Advertisement</div>
<div class="print-hide uk-margin-medium-bottom uk-flex uk-flex-center" data-google-query-id="CMilydeM6ecCFc9FAQodiCwHuA" id="div-gpt-ad-is" style="display: flex; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 40px;">
<div id="google_ads_iframe_/6929183/MK-EN//News//InStory_0__container__" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0pt; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0pt; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0pt; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0pt; padding-top: 0px;">
<iframe data-google-container-id="7" data-load-complete="true" frameborder="0" height="280" id="google_ads_iframe_/6929183/MK-EN//News//InStory_0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_iframe_/6929183/MK-EN//News//InStory_0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-pointer-lock allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" scrolling="no" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="3rd party ad content" width="336"></iframe></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
I was about to write this week’s column on how we ought to brace together as a nation facing the foreseeable pandemic. “Love in the time of Corona” as we should think about, a phrase I borrowed with apologies to the title of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s novel, Love in the time of Cholera.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
And then this came. Back door government in the making. What then must the rakyat do? How angry I am sure we all are being played up by those who think that they can fool us.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
I wrote these thoughts which hopefully reflect what we all are feeling about this sudden display of spineless politics. Of a game of musical chairs with Death Metal music playing in the background.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
In the tradition of a Jamaica Kinchaid rant, I say these in the following paragraphs. You can add more after reading:</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">Our grave concerns</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Maybe the new government may not happen. Maybe the plan will be stopped by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong? A counter-checkmate in place? Or, will the new government materialize and be a haven for old and dying crooks, hobos, parasites, parachuted-politicians and robber-barons seeking blessings and pardons?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Dissolve Parliament, I’d say. It will be fair for the voters. Let the hypocrites face the voters, let the rakyat deal with the betrayal. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
The battle for power will be intense. But I hope no huge rally should be planned. We now have the coronavirus scare. Online protests will be ok.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Just when we are about to see a multicultural sensibility developing, we are seeing a political multipolar disorder surfacing. In the North, this is called "<i>Politik Pelingkup Haprak</i>" (Untrustworthy politicians) where they will "<i>pelekoh</i>" (beat someone to a pulp) each other. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/1162/9d1e12fc136aad159d02757746d72f9e.jpeg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Rakyat will "<i>mati kering</i>" (die standing). Useless, senseless, spineless, ridiculous bunch of politicians we have. Only concerned with saving their wealth, power, dynasty.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
What will the next elections mean anymore? What else is there to vote for? Expect authoritarianism and anarchy to reign? Malaysians will see a long period of instability, at a time when we need to manage the Wuhan effect on our lives and economy.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">Pakatan Harapan today</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Pakatan Harapan is now the destroyer of the people's hope. The #UndiRosak folks were right then.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Ministers in DAP and PKR are now scrambling to find other jobs. It's like Donald Trump's show The Apprentice. What a country! Harapan ministers, in general, are now worried who will lose their jobs. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Theirs was a short-term employment. They were “political-temps” made glamorous. They are now clearing their desks as we are reading about this huge mess.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Joyous-weeping Malaysians just voted for a half-term government. The poker players shifted the goal post, laughing to the bank. One man saving himself and his family brought down politics of the entire country. Welcome to the show that never ends.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
The birth of Umno 3.0 today and a new Pakatan Nasional signify the most destructive fundamental shift in latter-day Malaysian politics, at a time when we are hoping for stability so that peace and social justice can be the foundation of our economic growth. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2019/12/25a40a3bce2a1082a33dd1a88ec4b44e.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
But well good luck, Malaysians. You voted for change!</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
My call is this: O' Malays, care not just about <i>halal</i> food but about <i>halal </i>politicians and if they get <i>halal</i> income. Open your eyes to hypocrisy.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
As badass-gangsta-prez as Trump is, Americans still have choices every four years. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
In Malaysia, the choice is long buried. Malaysia does not have any credible replacement as yet. To replace a toxic culture of political patronage now brewed to madness.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">End of a “theory”</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
The “Rahman Theory” is over in Malaysian politics. It's the age of 3M. Mahathir. Then Muhyiddin. Then Mukriz. Perhaps. Your guess is as good as mine. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Then comes now the age of madness. To Mahathir, the 1998 Reformasi March to his residence and the aftermath of the 1997 Tom Yum effect seems like yesterday. This vendetta has brought the nation down the drain of history.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
I have always said this: Trust not those you see wearing the mask of "Islam" these days. Behind that may lie a big license to plunder, rob, con, steal! Those who embezzled billions today are mainly Malay-Muslim leaders. From Tabung Haji to Tabung Hajjah to Tabung Palestine!</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
We are all saying ensure rule of law & welfare of all Malaysians, please. Stop protecting only Malays. Especially leaders who embezzle everything!</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Voters gave the mandate with their sweat and tears of hope, the government gave the last laugh. Politics of urination, I call it. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
The work of American pop artist Andy Warhol in that genre called “Oxidation” seems holier. Essentially this game of survival of PAS-Umno-Bersatu alliance is selfish, immoral, and dangerous. Think about it. Its consequences.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
The longer one is in power, the more fearful one becomes, of being investigated for the abuse of power. Lousy is the culture of "power transition," Malaysia needs to learn at least about and from the US primaries. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Something's wrong with the Malaysian system of "power-transition" when one refuses to get out and one knocking hard, to get in.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2020/02/7b6169a9510c0602a6c10250cb98b364.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
If and when "Pakatan Nasional" is born, the voters & rakyat are fooled, big time. And what was that last GE and Bersih rally about? A big con pre-ordained?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Politicians don't care and don't serve. They just want to keep their job. Taking as much while they ride the gravy train. A post-hypocritical world we're in. Politics means pathos. Politicians aren't worth a dime. Post-existentialism is in for me.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Malaysians have been asking: What’s up with the transition of power? Nobody wants to leave. Too risky. Chaos looming. Our pathos. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Those who voted for the new government are now served with a new soap opera of power transition. It is a betrayal of the voter’s trust. A waste of time spent on casting that precious vote.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Now, "Have a cigar" Pink Floyd's song on corporate-crony success playing in my head. As I continue to read the story on bribery, robbery, hypocrisy in the never-ending game of Malaysian politics.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
What then must the voters do?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
We seemed doomed.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
From high hopes to shattered dreams. As I <b style="font-weight: bolder;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/508748" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">wrote</a></b> about recently.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-71316829234169743792020-02-08T22:29:00.002-05:002020-02-08T22:29:39.247-05:00The Truth about the defenders of the Malay Language <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="uk-flex uk-flex-middle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; align-items: center; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; color: #666666; display: flex; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; min-height: 125px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="width: 100%;">
<h1 class="uk-margin-small" style="color: #333333; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; text-transform: none;">
Not a joke to teach English to kampung folks</h1>
<div class="meta-sizing" style="align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="uk-grid uk-grid-small meta-container" style="display: flex; flex-basis: 0%; flex-direction: row; flex-grow: 1; flex-shrink: 1; flex-wrap: wrap; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" uk-grid="">
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-first-column" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div class="uk-background-cover uk-position-relative" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/malaysiakini.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; margin-bottom: 0px; position: relative; width: 60px;">
<div class="uk-background-cover" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/1/azlyrahman.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; width: 60px;">
</div>
<a class="uk-position-cover" href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="bottom: 0px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; left: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-decoration: none; top: 0px;"></a>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-flex uk-flex-middle uk-text-small" style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px;">
<div class="uk-text-uppercase" style="letter-spacing: 0.5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<strong style="font-weight: bolder;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="color: #212121; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Azly Rahman</a></strong>
</div>
<div class="uk-text-meta" style="color: #999999; display: block; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.4;">
Published: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2020-02-09 07:56:00+08:00" style="margin-right: 15px;">6:56 pm</time> |
Modified: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2020-02-09 07:57:23+08:00" style="margin-right: 15px;">6:57 pm</time>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-margin print-hide sizing" style="display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; width: 110px;">
<button class="sizing-btn plus" id="incfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">+</sup></span> </button>
<button class="sizing-btn minus" id="decfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">-</sup></span> </button>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; padding-top: 30px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="mk-content-text" id="article_content">
<div class="content-drop">
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">COMMENT </span>| The so-called national laureates, who are opposed to the teaching of Maths and Science in English, think it is a <a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/509830" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">joke</a> that Malays should forever be pushed backwards in mastering the language of science and technology.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
English is the language of post-industrialism, of Artificial Intelligence (AI) philosophy, of this and that of the advanced hyper-modern society that our nation ought to understand of its underpinnings, if not ride on its wave. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Together with the Malay or Islamic youth movement, Malay writers group and the other sentimental-illogical Malay band of opposers of English as a medium of instruction, they are plagued with a sense of vain-gloriousness and idiotic, if not false, sense of pride in defending the Malay language to the detriment of the future of the Malays themselves.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
These are groups that are quite useless as participants in the dialogue for language advancement, frequently mounting arguments of pro-Malayness that are either stale, invalid and incapacitated in the face of the advent of higher science, or they are just plain ignorant of the needs of today's Malay children who are crying for a future that would not relegate them to becoming <i>Mat </i>and <i>Minah Rempits</i> (illegal motorcycle racers). </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Those protesting against the extensive use of English can be considered merely troublemakers in the path constructed for the advancement of the Malays who continue to be called "lazy" by their own leaders. Leaders who are in the first place, lazy thinkers, who have failed to insist that the education system be in tune with the rhythm of globalisation.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2020/02/8a19ad69ab5d7248fdae685efcba74e5.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">The real joke </b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
No, it is not a joke, mind you, to be mandating that the subjects of Maths and Science be taught in English. The real joke, in the long run, will be to see the next generation still wondering what the Multimedia Super Corridor and Tun Razak Exchange is all about, when we know that the English language as a medium of doing business, is what it is about, with these newer architectural structures the country is building to house more advanced systems of laissez-faire.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
The joke will be when more and more Malay kids, and even graduates of local universities, are unable to make themselves comprehensible in interviews to hopefully gain employment in the private or semi-private sector, and even worse, the joke - the national laureate joke - will be that the interviewers will have to coach the interviewee on how to answer the interview questions they are being asked. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
What a joke the national ultra-Malay literary laureates and so-called national poets or national Malay-whatever would be then. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
That joke will be on our children, especially those "kampung boys and girls" whose confidence of mastering English will forever be damaged. What a joke it will be for their future. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2020/02/0129e0fb776d452ac22d28a36a228fc6.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
I hate hypocrisy in education. I hate it when I know that in order for these "national laureates", "Malay-Muslim youth leaders", and other gangs of hypocritical defenders of the Malay language, to get where they are, to have their voice heard in the media, they themselves had to learn English and perhaps master it at a comfortable level. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
They had to be able to have read great works of literature, canonical works on great ideas that move nations, and even write in English so that they could be a little known in the world outside of their Malay-language-Malay-Muslim-only literary coconut shell. They had to, I am sure.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">Let us stop joking </b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
But why the refusal to advocate for the advancement of science, technology, engineering, and maths especially when we know in this world of post-industrialism, English is far superior and functional than Bahasa Melayu which perhaps can never be at par as a language of science and technology? I repeat: Bahasa Melayu just does not have the cut yet to be a language of scientific progress. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Let us not waste our time in useless arguments over Bahasa Melayu as a language of this new nature of progress. It is not a "<i>bahasa ilmu sains dan teknologi baru</i>" (language of knowledge for science and new technology). It is not. It can only be an imitation of a world of high science that is already rooted in English, which is rooted in the Indo-European-Germanic-Latin world of symbolic meaning. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Just focus on first, mandating the teaching of Maths and Science, and train our teachers in getting them to the level of competency needed. Make them happy to learn English so that their children too can happily master the lingua franca. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Use innovative ways of teaching English to help the teachers prepare themselves as an ongoing professional development agenda, and teach the teachers to stop listening to those fatalistic and defeatist advice on anti-English being given with idiotic pride by some non-sensical this and that literary laureate, and ultimately to move forward with changing times if we still wish to talk about world-class education.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/1067/80a717af0b3d3eba10f82de4ce761f2e.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
It is not a joke that a Malay kampung kid can and ought to master English. I was such a kampung kid. My parents do not speak English. Nor do my grandparents and my Johor kampung folks. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
But I am glad they did not heed the advice of some Malay national laureate of this and that, of some Malay-Islamist-Salafi youth group spewing this and that Islamic confusion, nor any ultra-Malay nationalist groups who opposed the teaching of Maths and Science in English, yet sending their children to some expensive-elite-Malay-only boarding school so that the latter can take the Cambridge IGCSE or the International Baccalaureate Programme to lure them away from becoming <i>Mat </i>and <i>Minah Rempits</i>.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Let us not joke anymore about our children's future. Just have them master English. Because Bahasa Melayu can never be at par with English – as a language of today’s advanced cybernetic world. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Don't push the Malay kids further back into the kampungs.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-2882955453745101952020-01-22T18:40:00.002-05:002020-01-22T18:46:10.909-05:00A must read for those interested in contemporary Malaysian politics and Mahathirism <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ZY3zOdAQMTTmlq8JEkUlOJESS35WTv4pVTPgqyUldJFaaf98gQ0spwcAzv8hKiUAK6rwQYJlsS6gGyWj0omE5idans6CM-hmyd_QubAi2NLvFOZZ9AGlw7SZjpfZqYi5HaEfww/s1600/High+Hopes+FrontCover+05Dec2019+%25282%2529+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ZY3zOdAQMTTmlq8JEkUlOJESS35WTv4pVTPgqyUldJFaaf98gQ0spwcAzv8hKiUAK6rwQYJlsS6gGyWj0omE5idans6CM-hmyd_QubAi2NLvFOZZ9AGlw7SZjpfZqYi5HaEfww/s640/High+Hopes+FrontCover+05Dec2019+%25282%2529+%25281%2529.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
<b><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘From High
Hopes To Shattered Dreams: The Second Mahathirist Revolution A Year After’ –
Review</span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">by Murray
Hunter </span></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"><a href="https://www.eurasiareview.com/author/dr-azly-rahman/"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #dd9933; font-family: "inherit" , serif; padding: 0in;">Dr. Azly Rahman</span></a>,
born in Singapore and brought up in Johor Baharu has seen Malaysia since early
post-independence days to the present. Azly has also experienced the Malaysian
education system both as a student and lecturer. He can relate those
experiences to the time he has spent as both a learner and educator with a
number of other education systems around the world. Being a thinker and writer
over a number of years on Malaysian society, education, and politics, Azly is
in a unique position to reflect upon Malaysia today, once again clearly under
the influence of Mahathirism, and once again within an education tragedy
unfolding. This is not my opinion alone, Academic and intellectual activist Dr
Sharifah Munirah Alatas recently mentioned Azly in one of her </span><i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Free
Malaysia Today </span></i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">columns as a Malaysian academic who should be listened to much
more.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Azly has put together a series of focused musings guided by an
ingrained moral and philosophical conscience about what is now sadly happening
in contemporary education, society and politics within Malaysia. A national
mental derangement as Azly puts it, is suppressing the country’s ability to move
forward and take its place in the world. Malaysia’s ingrained racism, religious
narrowmindedness, neo-feudalism and institutionalized-cronyism is inhibiting
the country’s ability to place itself on the global arena where it matters
today. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Throughout the book he has woven international issues with what
is happening inside Malaysia, making this collection of vital importance to
every Malaysian concerned with the fate of the nation. The Pakatan Harapan’s
actions on human rights, education, justice, equity and inactions on diverse
issues like institutionalized apartheid and global warming are preventing the
nation to grow in a balanced and sustainable way with the virtues of truth,
justice, equality and equal opportunity that were promised before GE14. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">We can
sense these disappointments in the passion of Azly’s writing. The great
betrayal is that Pakatan Rakyat sought office on the narratives of reform and
spun hope with the Rakyat for change, only to revert to the old racist and
Salafi-Wahabi tendencies that preserved BN rule for the last generation. This
is why Azly’s work is titled ‘high hopes, shattered dreams’, as the central
focus of this analysis is grand betrayal. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 11.25pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">The continuation of the quota system for Matriculation and the
failure to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) were some of the first indications of the
emergence of Ketuanan Melayu 2.0, an ideology that will continue to ensure
blindness to envisioning a multicultural Malaysia.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Azly begins his collection of essays with a stark warning that
Malaysia is not immune from urban terror attacks due to the rampant freedom
extremist preachers are given to roam freely to extol their poison to the
community. He then presents 43 essays. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Part one entitled the </span><i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Dilemma of Critical
Consciousness</span></i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">, focuses on contemporary issues that are skewing Malaysia away
from being a sustainable state where the Rakyat is supposed to evolve into
critical, creative, ethical and futuristic citizens. I will touch on just some
of his messages that I found profoundly important. Azly’s commences part one
with an allusion to Plato’s cave, the metaphor of the psychic prison. Through
this lens, Azly argues that Malay feudalism is a social construct borne out of
historical accident. This has been turned into a source of power by the elite
to control the Rakyat. Race, religion and class continues to be used by today’s
leaders to divide and conquer, just as the British once did in colonial times.
This is the nature of neo-colonialism in post-colonial Malaya, if one sees the development
of ideology from the perspective of a continuation of the logic of late
colonialism in an Asian despotic state.</span></div>
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">
In his essay </span><i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Musings on a nation gone mad, </span></i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Azly challenges Malays to
question authority, albeit intellectually. Royal myth and repressive twists to
Islam perpetuated by the power elite is suppressing clear perceptions of the
reality of truly free Malaysia. This is going to be a battle of perception and
cognition to create a metamorphosis that may truly free the Malay psych.
Revolutions and the institutionalization of meaningful change, he believes can
only be effective if there is a sustainable transformation of the
consciousness. This hypocrisy of using religion as controlling ideology is what
Azly points out; a country ruled by Muslim monarchs that one would not find in
true Islam and Ketuanan Melayu as a license to rape and plunder Nature and to
subjugate the mind of the powerless. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Islam, feudalism and a narrow view of the world has caused the
Rakyat to live under a veil of authoritarianism. Malays have been
misrepresented as buffoons, Ali Babas, gangsters and chronically dependent on
hand-outs by the ruling class to keep them subservient. The leaders show Malay
chauvinism while the Malay youth is caught up with drugs and girls become
single mothers. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Azly is calling for this moment in history time to restore Malay
dignity. Hegemony is the hidden enemy that needs to be unmasked,
psychologically. In </span><i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Long live the Rome statute! Long live idiocy? </span></i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Azly
shows his disappointment along with the Rakyat who put Pakatan in power.
Everyone has been sold out. His frustration on the failure of Malaysians to see
the importance of the internationally-agreed-upon statute could be read in his
tone. Why are there still many of the leaders ignorant of the universal values
and proposal for implementation? That was Azly’s anguish on the intellectual
poverty of those who failed to understand a simple logic of human rights.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Reformasi cannot happen within a </span><i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">bumi </span></i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">agenda
and the hopes of a truly Malaysian agenda are fading. Azly asks where is the
difference between the old and the new regime? The ideas and actions of the new
regime are exactly the same bankrupt concepts. Azly talks of reform that isn’t
on any political platform. That is the reform of the skewed Malaysian
institutionalized reality and the recreation of an egalitarian common truth for
all. This requires creating a culture of critical consciousness, which can
challenge and eventually dissolve all the myths perpetuated by the psychic
prisons of intolerance, racism, criminalizing of criticism and an
institutionalized version of truth to suit the needs of the elite to cling on
to power.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Azly offers a solution. That solution is to restore the truth of a
common heritage that the nation is made up of descendants of immigrants, share
that memory and move on in diversity. His stand is simple: embrace
multiculturalism to the fullest until the essence of humanity and empathy is
illuminated. We cannot settle for less in a country that offers the challenges
and opportunities of a vibrant concept of nationhood.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 15.0pt; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">The essential question is now how to build a Malaysian Malaysia? A
Bangsa Malaysia, which requires a common history and common destiny, drawing
from the strength of diversity. Indonesians had a rebirth from the Sukarno era.
Malaysians need to do the same. Malaysia needs to move to the next level where
people do not think of themselves along strict communal lines: not
ethnocentrically as Malays, Indians or Chinese but as Malaysians with a pride
in their unique personal history.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Under the Pakatan Harapan there is no pursuit of a Malaysian
Malaysia. There seems to be no interest to forge that much-needed version of
nationhood. There is no political will. It is still about profiting from
divisive politics and to ensure that society is reproduced that way through
schooling. And therefore, we still have politicians eyeing for the top post
speaking with so much confusion of what it means to be Malaysian. The biggest
crisis in Malaysia is the crisis of identity and it’s been partially
manufactured. This hegemony comes from the education system.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">In Part Two </span><i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">The Construction of Educational Confusion</span></i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">,
Azly looks closely at the education system. His arguments in all of the essays
point to one proposal: that there is no soul nor holism nor clear framework
guiding change expected out of the new regime. There is only rebranding of
projects. There is no exciting innovation that collectively would usher the
much needed educational system into newer frontiers, breaking new grounds in
the design of a new Malaysia in a globalized world in need of a new
understanding and implementation of a new citizenry. His fear is the
ever-creeping radical Islamism and the expression of Arabism as Malay culture.
Azly takes up the sources of one-dimensionality within the education system. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Institutionalized discrimination through quotas, showtime
paradigms like flying cars that have no substance except </span><i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">syok
sendiri</span></i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">, inciteful preachers being allowed to pollute the minds of the
country’s youth and using schools as </span><i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">medan dakwah </span></i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">to
destroy the pride of Malay culture through Arabism has colonized the Malay
mind. Indeed, Arabism has been pushed as a substitute for intellectual and
spiritual enlightenment, all at the cost of critical thinking, creativity and
moral reasoning. The system needs urgent reform.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Azly talks of returning to the year zero in a new education
revolution.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">This revolution must topple the straightjacket of the
institutionalized apartheid system which clings onto the idea that only
Malay-Bumiputeras have special rights. This false sense of superiority is a
Malaysian tragedy, holding back both the individual’s potential and the
potential of the nation<br />
as a whole.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">No longer should the education system be allowed to produce the
lowest common denominator good and obedient worker for an industrial system
making the elite richer. It should be replaced with one that promotes a
critical consciousness, dignity, self-respect and independence.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Azly’s vision of Malayism is not Arabism. His vision is about a
renaissance of a recreated contemporary Nusantarian culture where Malays
perform </span><i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">sembahyang </span></i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">and not </span><i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">solat</span></i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">There are three essays making up Part Three. In the first essay,
the </span><i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Third Force After Mahathirism </span></i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">is perhaps the centerpiece of
the whole book. There is an air of respect for Mahathir by Azly who sees under
the Machiavellian armor a person who wants the same aspirations for Malaysia as
himself.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">However, there is a paradox here. Mahathir’s pre-occupation with
liberating the mind of Malays from the shackles of neo-colonialist domination
have led to a guided kleptocracy ruled by one man. In the innerworkings of
Pakatan Harapan, this has been a new Malaysian political dilemma. One man wants
to still govern in his own way, creating inner confusion.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">Mahathirism is an ideology in itself, a product of the 80s, based
upon institutions which are repressive. This political mantra is now bankrupt.
Even if it not entirely so, it has mutated in newer forms. Malaysia’s hope for
a healthy and transformative democracy is stunted, bonsai-ed by the legacy of
one-man authoritarianism. Herein lies the hope for change and the ruptures that
are happening in the new coalition. Azly argues that a Trishakti third force is
required to restore Malaysia from the malaise it is in. For this a new leader
is important, and this new leader has to be found.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; padding: 0in;">In this book Azly reveals himself to us. He goes back to the peace
in his early village life. He is an intellectual, a scholar in the classic
literature of freedom from repression, a patriot of a new Malaysia, a reformist
(if not a romanticist) when it comes to returning to core Malay values, a
believer in an inclusive Malaysia and not an exclusive Ketuanan Melayu
arrogance.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; padding: 0in;">Perhaps
Azly’s guiding principle is the quotation he took from Tunku Abdul Rahman’s
1957 Merdeka speech, </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #444444; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; padding: 0in;">‘….
<i>but while we think of the past, we look forward in faith and hope to the
future: From henceforth we are masters of our own destiny, and the welfare of
this beloved land is our own<br />
responsibility</i>.</span></div>
<b></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>LINK TO BOOK</b> : <a href="https://www.gerakbudaya.com/from-high-hopes-to-shattered-dreams--the-second-mahathirist-revolution">https://www.gerakbudaya.com/from-high-hopes-to-shattered-dreams--the-second-mahathirist-revolution</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 4; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 15.0pt;">Murray
Hunter</span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 4; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<b><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Murray Hunter has been involved in Asia-Pacific business for the last 30
years as an entrepreneur, consultant, academic, and researcher. As an
entrepreneur he was involved in numerous start-ups, developing a lot of
patented technology, where one of his enterprises was listed in 1992 as the 5th
fastest going company on the BRW/Price Waterhouse Fast100 list in Australia.
Murray was formerly an associate professor at the University Malaysia Perlis,
spending a lot of time consulting to Asian governments on community development
and village biotechnology, both at the strategic level and “on the ground”. He
is also a visiting professor at a number of universities and regular speaker at
conferences and workshops in the region. Murray is the author of a number of
books, numerous research and conceptual papers in referred journals, and
commentator on the </span></i></b><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-43242891846775622632020-01-20T09:28:00.000-05:002020-01-20T09:28:31.919-05:00Deeper than the deep state this thing is<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="uk-flex uk-flex-middle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; align-items: center; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; color: #666666; display: flex; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; min-height: 125px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="width: 100%;">
<h1 class="uk-margin-small" style="color: #333333; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; text-transform: none;">
Deeper than the deep state this thing is</h1>
<div class="meta-sizing" style="align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="uk-grid uk-grid-small meta-container" style="display: flex; flex-basis: 0%; flex-direction: row; flex-grow: 1; flex-shrink: 1; flex-wrap: wrap; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" uk-grid="">
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-first-column" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div class="uk-background-cover uk-position-relative" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/malaysiakini.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; margin-bottom: 0px; position: relative; width: 60px;">
<div class="uk-background-cover" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/1/azlyrahman.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; width: 60px;">
</div>
<a class="uk-position-cover" href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="bottom: 0px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; left: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-decoration: none; top: 0px;"></a>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-flex uk-flex-middle uk-text-small" style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px;">
<div class="uk-text-uppercase" style="letter-spacing: 0.5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<strong style="font-weight: bolder;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="color: #212121; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Azly Rahman</a></strong>
</div>
<div class="uk-text-meta" style="color: #999999; display: block; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.4;">
Published: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2020-01-19 15:39:00+08:00">Jan 19th, 2020</time> |
Modified: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2020-01-20 12:29:12+08:00">Jan 19th, 2020</time>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-margin print-hide sizing" style="display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; width: 110px;">
<button class="sizing-btn plus" id="incfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">+</sup></span> </button>
<button class="sizing-btn minus" id="decfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">-</sup></span> </button>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; padding-top: 30px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="mk-content-text" id="article_content">
<div class="content-drop">
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">COMMENT </span>| I read a very interesting and important article from the Asia Sentinel (based in Hong Kong) concerning what the former minister of education, Maszlee Malik purportedly tried to do before he was dismissed from his job.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
It was reported that he tried to position "Islamists", or "Salafis" or "Wahhabis", some of them from the organisation called Ikram (a Muslim professionals group), into key leadership positions in our public universities so that the influence of radical Islam - contrary to Malaysia’s pluralist national philosophy - can continue to take root.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
The article by respectable correspondent Murray Hunter is very interesting, and I believe all of us should take note, try to understand and do a critical reading of what our former minister was up to. More than that it is a frightening revelation especially for Malaysians who have been angry at the way the government have not been able to curb: something deeper than the deep state.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Our nation is at risk I’d say. Here are my thoughts on what’s deeper than what others are seeing regarding what radical Muslims - the Salafis, or Wahhabi-influenced Malays - are doing to destroy our multicultural fabric that we should take pride in and harness through the most progressive approaches to education.</div>
<div class="print-hide uk-margin-medium-bottom uk-flex uk-flex-center" data-google-query-id="CM-GjuewkucCFdRBNwodFWYGgA" id="div-gpt-ad-is" style="display: flex; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 40px;">
<div id="google_ads_iframe_/6929183/MK-EN//News//InStory_0__container__" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0pt; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0pt; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0pt; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0pt;">
<iframe data-google-container-id="7" data-load-complete="true" frameborder="0" height="280" id="google_ads_iframe_/6929183/MK-EN//News//InStory_0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_iframe_/6929183/MK-EN//News//InStory_0" scrolling="no" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="3rd party ad content" width="336"></iframe></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2019/09/d94ef925ae1b230af2bfc82c0cbea604.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
A few days ago, I gave a lecture on Martin Luther King Jr where I spoke of the danger of militarism, capitalism, and racism. I thought of my beloved country. Too bad Malaysia is gradually embracing apartheid and gross intolerance.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Look at Mara's Junior Science Colleges's (MRSM) system now, for example. Compare it to the mid and late '70s. Do you see any Salafi difference? Is it endangering the country? The Education Ministry wanted to maintain an Islamist curriculum to prepare for total Salafi control two decades later. Read the Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci's theory of hegemony.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Look at what the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) has been doing now. I believe Jakim can be disbanded and the money to fund it can instead be utilised for cross-cultural training of teachers. This is better for the country. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
What if the combined budget for Jakim and MRSM is instead used to radically improve government schools to give it brand-new life? We will have great schools and the best one-school system we have always wanted that is free from racism as long as it is not run by racist politicians or education ministers. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
I've thought of another related issue - maybe the decision to build an "Islamic university" in Malaysia then was a huge mistake? I don't know.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
I worry about the Salafis, Wahhabis or whatever radical Islamic ideologues you want to call them, and how they are destroying our children’s future.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
In the US and the UK in the early 80s, Iranian-Ikhwanul Salafis infiltrated Malay students through the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim) and PAS. Are we seeing the impact now?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/1207/1f623d4467d6972b2c7558734215c735.jpeg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
From <i>ketuanan Melayu</i> (Malay supremacy) to <i>ketuanan Wahhabi</i> (Wahhabi supremacy), this is the story of Malaysia's revolutionary ideology. Schools such as MRSM are looking like training grounds for Wahhabi leadership. Mara must investigate who has infiltrated the minds and turn the bodies into something else other than true blue globalised Malaysians.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
When the Education Ministry makes its curriculum ultra-religious, society will be reproduced to be more ridiculous. More Wahhabis will be made. Unresolved is the historical issue of Malays versus the non-Malays which is now exacerbated by the rise of Salafism. This is a big issue.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
There is a heightened hatred and manufactured animosity towards non-Muslims/Malays these days. Is this a Salafi strategy? The goal of Malaysia's Salafis is to push non-Muslims/Malays out of society. We are seeing this now in rhetoric.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Salafis too will play the Machiavellian game. Lies, deceit, that haram-becomes-halal strategy for a power grab. Observe these as we become ethnographers of society. Positioning "Islamists/Salafis" in all sectors, especially in the Education Ministry, is a takeover strategy. It will happen especially in the post-Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad era. Wahhabism will flourish when universities continue to be mono-cultural and reject "Western liberal ideas". An obvious danger to Malaysia.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Malaysia's 1980s Islamisation Project during the first Mahathir rule was a sign of Wahhabi institutionalised infiltration. Neo-Ikhwanul Muslims and pro-Iranian revolutionaries in Malaysia, trying to take over? Be afraid. Even the MRSM system looks like it has been infiltrated by the Wahhabi-Salafis. See for yourself. Greater danger rooted?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
What is deeper than the deep state? Wahhabi/Salafi infiltration of our universities and even schools. Uncover this. Since the '80s. Malaysian education hijacked-prone. Driven by self-centeredness. Either by those promoting bad ideology or family dynasty.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Rather than dream of uniting the Muslim world, Malaysia must unite itself with the diversity it uses as conflicts. How can a society live under the moral policing of the Iranian ayatollahs? And Malaysia wants to follow that culture?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/1150/16a5753b425d0918a51871ae4967564a.jpeg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Malaysian NGOs need to study global issues, Middle Eastern politics, and the basic idea of Islam and world peace before taking sides. Will NGOs protest against Saudi Arabia who is in alliance with the US and Israel? Wasn't the general masterminding the export of the ideas of the Iranian Revolution?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Malay-Muslims must learn to stop and think first before rallying for "jihad", which is a basic psychological skill of wisdom. Malaysian-Islamists of today are descendants of followers of Iranian Revolution ideologues and Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. Nobody knows anymore who's fighting who and for what reason in the Middle East for the "ummah" to be united. Be wise analysing. The ayatollahs are a legacy of the Karbala - with Iran as the modern martyr state. Iran could have developed democratically better with the ayatollahs.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Malaysia's alliance with Iran and Turkey in the recent KL Summit could be a big global public relations mistake. Easy for Malay-Muslim politicians to score points supporting Iran. But is that all there is to one's simple-mindedness? Think. Malaysians don't need to rally for Iran before understanding what this is all about. It is not about Islam but black gold (oil). Saudi, Israel, the US will be in alliance against Iran-Iraq-Russia. Understandably. Will Malaysians understand this "ummah" thing?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Easy for the "Islamists" in Malaysia to rally behind Iran. But unwise. Middle East politics are too complex for Malays to understand. Difficult for "the Muslim world" to take side with Iran or the US. There is no "unity of the ummah". Never was there an "ummah". The US-Iran War” is not about "jihad versus crusade". It is more complex than this - of political -economy, geopolitics, and genealogy of ideas.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
The pride of the Malay is not only in Jawi and in songkok. But in brainpower, cultural finesse, and mastery of philosophy.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2020/01/4b55bb27566d3a26f263f385bad8d764.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
While thinking of writing this piece on the “deep state”, Uriah Heep - a band of the 60s - was playing in the background, on vinyl, on a Sunday evening. Brings me back to the groovy Sixties – without the Salafis – I grew up in as a child. That was when secret schemes of the Education Ministry were unheard of. It was plain hard work to try to make the new multicultural Malaysia work.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
That Sunday too I watched a YouTube video of Astro Awani's interview on what the Ministry of Education did or failed to do under the short-lived Maszlee-reign, before the outfit was dismantled, perhaps because of the suspected Salafi infiltration. I think I know what the problem partly was. It was one systemic, structural ideological. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Herein lie the misinterpretation of Freirian pedagogy. Or better, a misreading yet trumpeting of the idea of a "cognitive revolution of the oppressed". Can the oppressed be conscientised by a ministry led by a leader from a race-based party who will continue to avoid the much-needed radical reform on diversity and total restructuring of society? Reading one book - Freire's - is not enough to understand the broad changes needed to get the country out of neo-colonialism. We need rock music as well. Classic rock preferably. Like Uriah Heep.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
We must dig deeper into this something deeper than the deep state. We must demolish this thing that has been rearing its ugly head. Since the days of Abim. To today. Of Jakim.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-21321183841868370632020-01-14T15:32:00.000-05:002020-01-14T15:37:30.245-05:00A New Book on Pakatan Harapan -- just published! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><i></i><br />
<div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-image: none; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333745; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>What is the meaning of Mahathir Mohamad’s return as Prime Minister of Malaysia? And what does it mean for the future of the country? In From High Hopes to Shattered Dreams? Azly Rahman argues that, as against a more fundamental transformation of Malaysian society, the change of government which took place post-GE14 has continued to reproduce old trends which have long kept Malaysia from the promise of an equal and forward looking nation, from a feudal mentality, to religious exclusivism, racial divisiveness and the continuing ‘bumi agenda’. </i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-image: none; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333745; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Diagnosing these issues through the lens of cultural theory, Azly advocates for a more fundamental change which transcends politics and which allows for the development of a truly critical consciousness in the country, one capable of producing future-oriented citizens who understand the true meaning of freedom. In a final section, containing three original essays, he then calls for a Third Force to develop beyond BN and Mahathirism, to help produce a country that is sustainable, politically, socially, economically and environmentally. </i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333745; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; outline-color: invert; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">-- SIRD/Gerakbudaya 2020</span></b></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><b></b><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.gerakbudaya.com/from-high-hopes-to-shattered-dreams--the-second-mahathirist-revolution?tag=Azly+Rahman&fbclid=IwAR2FO92f_Bo-pXcLYA4z3T7x2pefbAzJKb8LGRbsX4VjKwHEytTjwvfiWxE" target="_blank"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>AVAILABLE HERE. GET YOUR COPY NOW.</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><b></b><span style="color: red;"></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.gerakbudaya.com/from-high-hopes-to-shattered-dreams--the-second-mahathirist-revolution?tag=Azly+Rahman&fbclid=IwAR2FO92f_Bo-pXcLYA4z3T7x2pefbAzJKb8LGRbsX4VjKwHEytTjwvfiWxE" target="_blank">https://www.gerakbudaya.com/from-high-hopes-to-shattered-dreams--the-second-mahathirist-revolution?tag=Azly+Rahman&fbclid=IwAR2FO92f_Bo-pXcLYA4z3T7x2pefbAzJKb8LGRbsX4VjKwHEytTjwvfiWxE</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVSIfpi5bQeEJ8R0Xc_Y-CR91ZBwIAbzt1CHvtb7MoWWfIvPV73KqHesBm8wtquDQCQMXkBzT-3QwjjXYafAakxsYN0v6KM3vjmZO4exGddu2Rrlj4LANyiDr5RbJxJbSC2XlZw/s640/High+Hopes+FrontCover+05Dec2019+%25282%2529+%25281%2529.jpg" width="425" /></div>
<br /></div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-46955183254390673012020-01-09T18:37:00.002-05:002020-01-09T18:37:08.945-05:00Under Pakatan Harapan, shouldn’t MRSM be for all Malaysians?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="uk-card-media-top uk-position-relative" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="hero-img placeholderAnim" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px;">
<img alt="" class="uk-width-1-1" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/1348/2c2fe45d1bcde6022eadf0063da897e6.jpeg=s660" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%;" />
</div>
</div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<div class="uk-flex uk-flex-middle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; align-items: center; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; color: #666666; display: flex; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; min-height: 125px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="width: 100%;">
<div class="category-shared" style="align-items: center; display: flex; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-top: 20px; width: 100%;">
<div class="category-container" style="display: flex; width: 50%;">
<div class="category" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-left-radius: 6px; border-bottom-right-radius: 6px; border-top-left-radius: 6px; border-top-right-radius: 6px; color: #757575; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 1.33; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<strong style="font-weight: bolder;">Opinion</strong></div>
</div>
<div class="uk-flex uk-flex-right shared-container" style="display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; width: 50%;">
<div class="addthis_inline_share_toolbox_qzgm" data-description="COMMENT | MRSM should be taken over and managed wisely by a council of multicultural educationists." data-title="Under Harapan, shouldn’t MRSM be for all Malaysians?" data-url="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/506170">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<h1 class="uk-margin-small" style="color: #333333; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; text-transform: none;">
Under Harapan, shouldn’t MRSM be for all Malaysians?</h1>
<div class="meta-sizing" style="align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="uk-grid uk-grid-small meta-container" style="display: flex; flex-basis: 0%; flex-direction: row; flex-grow: 1; flex-shrink: 1; flex-wrap: wrap; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" uk-grid="">
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-first-column" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div class="uk-background-cover uk-position-relative" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/malaysiakini.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; margin-bottom: 0px; position: relative; width: 60px;">
<div class="uk-background-cover" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/1/azlyrahman.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; width: 60px;">
</div>
<a class="uk-position-cover" href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="bottom: 0px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; left: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-decoration: none; top: 0px;"></a>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-flex uk-flex-middle uk-text-small" style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px;">
<div class="uk-text-uppercase" style="letter-spacing: 0.5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<strong style="font-weight: bolder;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="color: #212121; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Azly Rahman</a></strong>
</div>
<div class="uk-text-meta" style="color: #999999; display: block; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.4;">
Published: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2020-01-07 11:04:33+08:00">Jan 6th, 2020</time> |
Modified: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2020-01-07 11:04:33+08:00">Jan 6th, 2020</time>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-margin print-hide sizing" style="display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; width: 110px;">
<button class="sizing-btn plus" id="incfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">+</sup></span> </button>
<button class="sizing-btn minus" id="decfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">-</sup></span> </button>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; padding-top: 30px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="mk-content-text" id="article_content">
<div class="content-drop">
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">COMMENT</span> | I <b style="font-weight: bolder;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/506130" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">read</a></span></b> with bigger concern the way we let ethnocentrism prevail through elitist and well-funded schooling that will continue to reproduce society “separate and unequal” especially when the new government has been talking about “Education for All”. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
The MRSM (Mara Junior Science College) system is one example of what I’d call a “<b style="font-weight: bolder;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/152953" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">successful failure</a></b>”. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Successful it is in running the school but failing it is in the more important goal of national integration. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
In fact, it is an example of a system that has both the hidden and open agenda of promoting a newer brand of <i>Ketuanan Melayu</i>, something that needs to be abandoned.</div>
<div class="uk-margin-medium-top uk-text-center text-ad" style="color: #999999; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 2px; margin-top: 40px; text-align: center;">
Advertisement</div>
<div class="print-hide uk-margin-medium-bottom uk-flex uk-flex-center" id="div-gpt-ad-is" style="display: flex; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 40px;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">Need a special council for MRSM</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
The MRSM system needs to be taken over by a body that will oversee the restructuring of society ensuring equality, equal opportunity, and social equity be the basis of modern-day Malaysian schooling. It has to be driven by a philosophy of social-reconstructionism to “correct newer racial imbalances” through the MRSM system itself. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
The original early 1970s idea of MRSM conceived after the formulation of the NEP, through its "Batik Papers" proposal was to “correct racial imbalances”. That was fine then, after May 13, 1969, after Mageran (NOC), after Risda, after early Mara. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Today, the notion of imbalances must be re-interpreted so that Mara-MRSM will become more intelligent in playing the role of this massive-monstrous-moneyed machine of social changeable to provide opportunities for children of all races rather than Malays and bumiputera primarily, or perhaps only.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
My view on MRSM is simple: It is a good system that has helped the “poor Malays”, it has helped made many of them very wealthy and released the cycle of poverty from the samsaric cycle. It has achieved its objective.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
I believe it is now time to use this best practice and proof of concept to help “poor Malaysians, of all races, religious background, etc.” The MRSM system cannot be kept only as a conveyor belt or human engineering factory to produce one-dimensional mono-cultural beings, but to be used for the better purpose: racial integration and national unity.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/1202/b2841eb7c5b007b217ab42f8a78be05b.jpeg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
These days, children of wealthy Malays, children of the privileged, and of MRSM alumni, claim their place in the system - places that are supposed to be reserved for the poorest but the best and the brightest of all races. Let me suggest a new paradigm for MRSM’s <i>modus operandi</i>, to make it smarter and more relevant in this age of AI, Blockchain, Gene-Editing, smart machines and bio-technology that celebrates cultural diversity.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">Revamping the entire curriculum</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
The new paradigm should urge the revamping of the entire curriculum to meet the challenges of a global and multicultural world, putting the MRSM school system under the Education Ministry and resources allocated to be used to democratise learning and teaching, and to bring “elitism” to the level of the masses, and most importantly to open up the system to children of poor families from all races.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
No longer can MRSM be allowed to have 99 percent Malays and let the schooling process be mono-cultural and create future citizens/leaders who will think only about the Malays and let other races be alienated and marginalised.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Hence my suggestion that 50 percent of the places in the well-funded MRSM schools be allocated for the children of the now-irrelevantly classified as ‘non-bumiputera’. Wouldn’t this be the right policy to pursue?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
This is where my proposal to “correct economic imbalances”, “eliminating poverty that cuts across racial lines”, and to “restructure society based on newer economic realities”, will be helpful in order to create a truly nationalistic and inclusive economy that harnesses the power of multiculturalism rather than the one-race-dominant idea of bumiputeraism.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
This is where MRSM places need to be available to 50 percent of "non-bumiputera" as the next stage of equitable educational evolution so that the dream, albeit sloganised, of a 1Malaysian Truly Asia Strength-in-Diversity Malaysia will be fully realised. Today, the slogan by the former education minister is “Education for All”. Honour this.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
At an early age of socialisation, MRSM students need to learn to interact productively and progressively with each of the country’s races so that their early set leadership skills will include acquiring those of embracing diversity and improving themselves continuously.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2019/10/38047ff989a6634bed975d857758675b.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Only by restructuring and re-orienteering the inner-workings of schooling systems such as MRSM and Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) - the all-Malay-and all-too-Malay university - into a global and multicultural learning spaces and experiences, will we be able to dismantle race-based politics that has become a scourge and a curse to the aspirations of a developed and civil society we Malaysians wish to leave for our children and grandchildren.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">Revamp MRSM wisely</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
I have a few questions to end this brief note on ways to make the well-guarded well-funded MRSM system smarter and to function better: </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Why not use Mara’s and the government’s money to help all Malaysians that are poor? Aren’t we all Malaysian citizens, regardless of race and religion? Isn't this what religion teach us to think about the future of our children - to think beyond race, creed? Who owns this country anyway?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Is the MRSM philosophy of education crafted, in the form of a hidden curriculum, to teach people to be excessively ethnocentrist and to perpetuate race-based ideologies useful as “commanding heights” to guide policies to maintain the withering Malay-bumiputera hegemony?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
For these questions, all Malaysians concerned about a common future, will have to answer.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
MRSM must be about “Education for All”. Regardless of race, ethnicity, religion. Isn’t this what the Pakatan Harapan <b style="font-weight: bolder;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/505934" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">government</a></b> is talking about anyway? </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
I suggest MRSM be taken over and managed wisely by a council of multicultural educationists concern with the issue of equality, social justice, and the slogan by the Education Ministry: “Education for all”.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Revolutionise MRSM to be truly <i>marhaen</i> and multicultural. This is my call, as a human-engineered product of the earliest MRSM system.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-87809501595219584272020-01-01T19:21:00.007-05:002020-01-01T22:45:25.643-05:00MALAYSIA'S THIRD FORCE: A DOCUMENT for RADICAL CHANGE (COMING SOON) <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGZq1_szzhQttqNfU0rQ0tOFri2ELyDdpSNICJCocLNxK33ACVfafL-Q9ReNQt2eADvOGp2LKmP6Qlo1WhDhRS9TydwoNBt59xD1jXiSsSWlUBkQvki7dv1RDug0mzK0DNGEdNQ/s1600/High+Hopes+FrontCover+05Dec2019+%25282%2529+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGZq1_szzhQttqNfU0rQ0tOFri2ELyDdpSNICJCocLNxK33ACVfafL-Q9ReNQt2eADvOGp2LKmP6Qlo1WhDhRS9TydwoNBt59xD1jXiSsSWlUBkQvki7dv1RDug0mzK0DNGEdNQ/s640/High+Hopes+FrontCover+05Dec2019+%25282%2529+%25281%2529.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODon8zvTWOl_cBeF_H2jQBa58zlP_zp0uXSGGHIR6ISJO_2Tf_dCgnggjrtrwacGaC6E_i0R3hyphenhyphenr8OS0cnkfbKnzcluVzdwbh682OKYmMHklDeIWgqw_CZW9fOMapwL7KMeVFcw/s1600/High+Hopes+Cover+05Dec2019+%25281%2529-006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="855" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODon8zvTWOl_cBeF_H2jQBa58zlP_zp0uXSGGHIR6ISJO_2Tf_dCgnggjrtrwacGaC6E_i0R3hyphenhyphenr8OS0cnkfbKnzcluVzdwbh682OKYmMHklDeIWgqw_CZW9fOMapwL7KMeVFcw/s640/High+Hopes+Cover+05Dec2019+%25281%2529-006.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>A THIRD FORCE DOCUMENT </b></span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b> and a HAPPY 2020 EVERYBODY </b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b></b><span style="color: red;"></span><br /> My 8th. book on Pakatan Harapan Performance Review in Politics, Culture, and Education is coming out in a few days (in bookstores and online. Published by SIRD/GERAKBUDAYA(Malaysia) -WorldWise Books (USA) Here is an EXCERPT: </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>Third Force after Mahathirism? </b></span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i> The forty essays in the two preceding sections characterise the current state of the Mahathirist rule. They focus on the complex linkages between politics and education. Those essays are my observations of what has transpired under a new brand of Mahathirism. The one-man-one-ideology-one-determinism-to rule as long as life allows, through the remains of one’s days, not wishing to let go and institute a peaceful transition of power through means most democratic – this is the Malaysian plague of power. But what is Mahathirism, beyond a mere attributing to the man named Dr. Mahathir Mohamad? How will this unique Asian despotic ideology foundation most of times upon the truncated logic of power, of deranged discourse acceptable as “wisdom of the old man” it seems, meet its end? What will Malaysians hope as replacement – so that the meaning of “sustainable politics” could be arrived at? In the following paragraphs, I will discuss Mahathirism and the third force that need to be given birth to.</i></span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i> --- Azly Rahman</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i><span style="font-size: large;"></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXVaRBpJBHWNE4-3P_ugLIr4MO6L4XdXeVtnTfKvmOuz1jk3hirCDrHBuMPWgDteDMjF8ctEOjbY_H34Pec3l425xR3myv1Z4FZDbhPzL0r5o7VOf2skgvAU8ooTmdSVXLoBVZjQ/s1600/High+Hopes+Cover+05Dec2019+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1600" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXVaRBpJBHWNE4-3P_ugLIr4MO6L4XdXeVtnTfKvmOuz1jk3hirCDrHBuMPWgDteDMjF8ctEOjbY_H34Pec3l425xR3myv1Z4FZDbhPzL0r5o7VOf2skgvAU8ooTmdSVXLoBVZjQ/s640/High+Hopes+Cover+05Dec2019+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-size: large;"></span><i></i><i></i><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-84316323402987419962020-01-01T19:06:00.002-05:002020-01-01T19:06:29.756-05:00Pathetic exam question about a problematic, not iconic, person<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="uk-card-media-top uk-position-relative" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="hero-img placeholderAnim" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px;">
<img alt="" class="uk-width-1-1" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2019/12/25bc28153ae117ff6ee86f76f9d3fbe6.jpg=s660" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%;" />
</div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 20px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span></div>
<div class="uk-flex uk-flex-middle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; align-items: center; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; color: #666666; display: flex; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; min-height: 125px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="width: 100%;">
<div class="category-shared" style="align-items: center; display: flex; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-top: 20px; width: 100%;">
<div class="category-container" style="display: flex; width: 50%;">
<div class="category" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-left-radius: 6px; border-bottom-right-radius: 6px; border-top-left-radius: 6px; border-top-right-radius: 6px; color: #757575; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 1.33; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<strong style="font-weight: bolder;">Opinion</strong></div>
</div>
<div class="uk-flex uk-flex-right shared-container" style="display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; width: 50%;">
<div class="addthis_inline_share_toolbox_qzgm" data-description="COMMENT | The minds of the young Malay-Muslims are at the mercy of ideologues who wish to destroy society." data-title="Pathetic exam question about a problematic, not iconic, person" data-url="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/505511" style="clear: both;">
<div aria-labelledby="at-8c557a78-7c44-4633-b34a-c50b77e51d50" class="at4-jumboshare at-style-responsive addthis-smartlayers addthis-animated at4-show" id="atstbx2" role="region" style="animation-duration: 0.3s; animation-fill-mode: both; animation-timing-function: ease-out; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div>
<table><tbody>
<tr><td class="at4-count-container" style="border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; display: table-cell; min-width: 200px; padding-right: 20px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"><div class="at4-count" style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica neue,arial; font-size: 60px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 60px;">
<span class="at4-spacer" style="display: block; font-size: 25px; height: 1px; line-height: 25px; opacity: 0; visibility: hidden;">0</span></div>
</td><td class="at-resp-share-element at-share-btn-elements at4-share-container" style="display: table-cell; font-size: 0px; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-facebook" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #3b5998; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 24px; border-bottom-right-radius: 24px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 24px; border-top-right-radius: 24px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to Facebook</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-facebook-15" class="at-icon at-icon-facebook" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: middle; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 22 5.16 c -0.406 -0.054 -1.806 -0.16 -3.43 -0.16 c -3.4 0 -5.733 1.825 -5.733 5.17 v 2.882 H 9 v 3.913 h 3.837 V 27 h 4.604 V 16.965 h 3.823 l 0.587 -3.913 h -4.41 v -2.5 c 0 -1.123 0.347 -1.903 2.198 -1.903 H 22 V 5.16 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-compact" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #ff6550; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 24px; border-bottom-right-radius: 24px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 24px; border-top-right-radius: 24px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to More</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-addthis-16" class="at-icon at-icon-addthis" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: middle; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 18 14 V 8 h -4 v 6 H 8 v 4 h 6 v 6 h 4 v -6 h 6 v -4 h -6 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<h1 class="uk-margin-small" style="color: #333333; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; text-transform: none;">
Pathetic exam question about a problematic, not iconic, person</h1>
<div class="meta-sizing" style="align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="uk-grid uk-grid-small meta-container" style="display: flex; flex-basis: 0%; flex-direction: row; flex-grow: 1; flex-shrink: 1; flex-wrap: wrap; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" uk-grid="">
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-first-column" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div class="uk-background-cover uk-position-relative" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/malaysiakini.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; margin-bottom: 0px; position: relative; width: 60px;">
<div class="uk-background-cover" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/1/azlyrahman.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; width: 60px;">
</div>
<a class="uk-position-cover" href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="bottom: 0px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; left: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-decoration: none; top: 0px;"></a>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-flex uk-flex-middle uk-text-small" style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px;">
<div class="uk-text-uppercase" style="letter-spacing: 0.5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<strong style="font-weight: bolder;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="color: #212121; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Azly Rahman</a></strong>
</div>
<div class="uk-text-meta" style="color: #999999; display: block; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.4;">
Published: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2020-01-01 07:43:00+08:00">Dec 31st, 2019</time> |
Modified: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2020-01-01 07:43:44+08:00">Dec 31st, 2019</time>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-margin print-hide sizing" style="display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; width: 110px;">
<button class="sizing-btn plus" id="incfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">+</sup></span> </button>
<button class="sizing-btn minus" id="decfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">-</sup></span> </button>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 20px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; padding-top: 30px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="mk-content-text" id="article_content">
<div class="content-drop">
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">COMMENT</span> | The question on the preacher Zakir Naik (<i>above</i>) is simply strange for a test item at a university-level course as foundationally important as “Ethnic Studies”. From my decades of constructing multiple choice and essay questions, from middle school to high school to college level, my question is this: what kind of question is that?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
If it is a multiple-choice question, this means that the students do not have any choice, but to regurgitate the “facts”. If the facts say that this and that person is “iconic” and preaches the “truest Islam”, then there is no room for subjective and alternative views however absurd, combative, and demeaning the preaching may be. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
If exam questions are to test students' understanding of what the lecture materials are and what they have been taught, then the lectures are about Zakir Naik being an icon of Islam. How can that be possible when Ethnic Studies is about offering perspectives of what constitutes a person worthy of being called an “icon”?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
To me, as a Malaysian, P Ramlee is an icon, as one example. Yes, in case the younger generation don’t know who this great Malaysian is, better start finding out. P Ramlee is an icon par excellence, suitable for all Malaysians. </div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Zakir Naik is not iconic, but instead, problematic. The difference between P Ramlee (<i>below</i>) and Zakir Naik is like the distance between Earth and planet Wakanda. My heart goes to the minds of the young Malay-Muslims of my beloved country, constantly at the mercy of ideologues who wish to destroy society.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2019/02/9ea0059b7547b270339e874ec163a5c9.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
How much longer will the Malays, especially, be stupefied by such an approach to education? </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
The biggest question is: what are they teaching in Ethnic Studies? A newer version of the junk Biro Tata Negara spewed during the BN "glory" years of “<i>anak</i> <i>kecil main api</i>” (the iconic-moronic song of a child playing with fire, and next vaping towards ignorance)? I don’t know. </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
The person who wrote this question need to take a basic course in item construction in Assessment and Evaluation; next learn what testing means; understand the link between what is taught and what is tested; next learn what biases are, and perhaps learn to decide what item to put in a test. </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
We have not yet talked about why the word "icon" is thrown in there and whether the university is okay with putting that Mumbai preacher's name in a test that ought to be about "Malaysian ethnic relations and how to build a good one" rather than to promote this and that ideology. </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Not forgetting that it is utterly stupid to put this kind of question as multiple choice, as if students are not allowed to decide if Zakir Naik is an "icon" or simply a TV-preacher wanted in his country of origin. Perhaps the lecturers are not ready to handle essay questions concerning iconic man this and that, as well as the rise of Wahabi-ism and how it is a threat to multicultural Malaysia. </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Safer for those Ethnic Studies teachers to dumb down the students with such a strange, ideologically desperate multiple-choice item that has only ONE right answer to however dumb the question might be. Yes, we are good at producing one-dimensional beings for easy control. And to manipulate. </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/1238/5e98c134e13c625dd852da5259260b90.jpeg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
But there is hope if we are serious about teaching sense and sensibility.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">Why not teach these?</b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
New bumiputeraism. Radical multiculturalism. Humanism. Evolving self. Alternative futures. Social reconstructionism. Counter-factual and alternative historicising. People's history. Power and ideology. All these concepts can be taught to our students of this new Malaysia, those young and curious minds that need a new understanding of Malaysian nationalism or "Bangsa Malaysia".</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
How do we teach these concepts?</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
We can involve students in activities that allow them to explore the meanings and mechanisms of culture. We can have them examine the universal and the particular in human motivation, behavior, attitudes, values and beliefs. </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
We must expand their understanding of the dynamic nature of culture and increase their awareness of their own place in global cultures and subcultures. and the challenges and opportunities such situations present in cross-cultural communications.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2019/04/2189c11f44c27406897db40702116ee6.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
We can get our students to construct alternative futures that draw out the ethical humanistic values into an integrative concept of New Bumiputeraism based on the premise that we are all human beings sharing a living space in a time borrowed, and that the litmus test of it all is how we treat fellow human beings with knowledge, understanding, and wisdom sound enough to make each other see through the lens of race, colour, creed.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
If we resolve this issue of bumiputera versus non-bumiputera through education for peace, justice, and tolerance, we will see the demise of race-based politics, and the dissolution of political parties that champion this or that race. Ethnic Studies as a vehicle of change for culture and consciousness will do the job successfully if it's in the hands of skilled trainers and professors who are colour-blind.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
The challenge: do we have colour-blind professors/educators who will profess colour-blind ideology? I hope we have them in all our public universities. After all, their training should allow them to be true to the subjectivity of culture and the sensitivity to race and ethnicity.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
In fact, if we are sincere in developing our students' intelligence, we should have them revise our Ethnic Studies module from time to time - so that we may not be the "sage on stage", but a "guide on the side".</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Kings, queens, datuks, datins, slaves, serfs, sultans, subjects, Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans - all these are artificial constructs. Through time, space, and place, we create these constructs to enable or disable our understanding of what it means to be human.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Let us fight apartheid, bigotry, arrogance, racism, and disabling cultures through education. It might be a long battle, but this is going to be a great victory for our children.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
But first, start finding our real Malaysian icons - P Ramlee is one of them. Not some strange outsider preaching the strangest version of Islam I have ever heard.</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-53191703861649476842019-12-29T21:55:00.003-05:002019-12-29T21:55:35.818-05:00Malaysian education's biggest failure <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="uk-card-media-top uk-position-relative" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="hero-img placeholderAnim" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px;">
<img alt="" class="uk-width-1-1" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2019/05/ab5aaafcfc6bc60ec6be1f8e116436ce.jpg=s660" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%;" />
</div>
</div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<div class="uk-flex uk-flex-middle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; align-items: center; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; color: #666666; display: flex; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; min-height: 125px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="width: 100%;">
<div class="category-shared" style="align-items: center; display: flex; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-top: 20px; width: 100%;">
<div class="category-container" style="display: flex; width: 50%;">
<div class="category" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-left-radius: 6px; border-bottom-right-radius: 6px; border-top-left-radius: 6px; border-top-right-radius: 6px; color: #757575; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 1.33; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<strong style="font-weight: bolder;">Opinion</strong></div>
</div>
<div class="uk-flex uk-flex-right shared-container" style="display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; width: 50%;">
<div class="addthis_inline_share_toolbox_qzgm" data-description="COMMENT | "It has been 50 years since May 13, 1969, and we still have Muslim youth invoking that semiotic of racial violence."" data-title="Malaysian education's biggest failure" data-url="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/505222" style="clear: both;">
<div aria-labelledby="at-abceeffa-c960-4e01-9369-4468fbf74847" class="at4-jumboshare at-style-responsive addthis-smartlayers addthis-animated at4-show" id="atstbx2" role="region" style="animation-duration: 0.3s; animation-fill-mode: both; animation-timing-function: ease-out; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div>
<table><tbody>
<tr><td class="at4-count-container" style="border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; display: table-cell; min-width: 200px; padding-right: 20px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"><div class="at4-count" style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica neue,arial; font-size: 60px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 60px;">
<span class="at4-spacer" style="display: block; font-size: 25px; height: 1px; line-height: 25px; opacity: 0; visibility: hidden;">0</span><span style="font-size: 60px; line-height: 60px;">2.9K</span></div>
<div class="at4-title" style="bottom: 2px; color: #666666; font-size: 18px; line-height: 18px; position: relative;">
SHARES</div>
</td><td class="at-resp-share-element at-share-btn-elements at4-share-container" style="display: table-cell; font-size: 0px; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-facebook" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #3b5998; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 24px; border-bottom-right-radius: 24px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 24px; border-top-right-radius: 24px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to Facebook</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-facebook-15" class="at-icon at-icon-facebook" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: middle; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 22 5.16 c -0.406 -0.054 -1.806 -0.16 -3.43 -0.16 c -3.4 0 -5.733 1.825 -5.733 5.17 v 2.882 H 9 v 3.913 h 3.837 V 27 h 4.604 V 16.965 h 3.823 l 0.587 -3.913 h -4.41 v -2.5 c 0 -1.123 0.347 -1.903 2.198 -1.903 H 22 V 5.16 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-compact" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #ff6550; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 24px; border-bottom-right-radius: 24px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 24px; border-top-right-radius: 24px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to More</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-addthis-16" class="at-icon at-icon-addthis" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: middle; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 18 14 V 8 h -4 v 6 H 8 v 4 h 6 v 6 h 4 v -6 h 6 v -4 h -6 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<h1 class="uk-margin-small" style="color: #333333; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; text-transform: none;">
Malaysian education's biggest failure</h1>
<div class="meta-sizing" style="align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="uk-grid uk-grid-small meta-container" style="display: flex; flex-basis: 0%; flex-direction: row; flex-grow: 1; flex-shrink: 1; flex-wrap: wrap; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" uk-grid="">
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-first-column" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div class="uk-background-cover uk-position-relative" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/malaysiakini.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; margin-bottom: 0px; position: relative; width: 60px;">
<div class="uk-background-cover" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/1/azlyrahman.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; width: 60px;">
</div>
<a class="uk-position-cover" href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="bottom: 0px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; left: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-decoration: none; top: 0px;"></a>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-flex uk-flex-middle uk-text-small" style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px;">
<div class="uk-text-uppercase" style="letter-spacing: 0.5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<strong style="font-weight: bolder;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="color: #212121; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Azly Rahman</a></strong>
</div>
<div class="uk-text-meta" style="color: #999999; display: block; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.4;">
Published: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2019-12-29 12:30:25+08:00">Dec 28th, 2019</time> |
Modified: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2019-12-29 12:30:25+08:00">Dec 28th, 2019</time>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-margin print-hide sizing" style="display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; width: 110px;">
<button class="sizing-btn plus" id="incfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">+</sup></span> </button>
<button class="sizing-btn minus" id="decfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">-</sup></span> </button>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; padding-top: 30px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="mk-content-text" id="article_content">
<div class="content-drop">
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">COMMENT</span> | “Gamis: Do not allow repeat of May 13 because of Dong Zong.” This is a troubling <a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/504934" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">headline</a>. These are the kinds of statements we get from those who went through our education system, especially when Dr Mahathir Mohamad took over as Minister of Education, back in the late 70s. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
It has been 50 years after May 13, 1969, and we’re still reading about Muslim youth invoking that semiotic of racial violence. The word 'Islam' made synonymous with racial violence. These young people were not even born then. I have written about my <a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/476466" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">experience</a> as a child learning about race relations and the bloody episode of our history.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
I was recently asked by a Facebook commentator of my piece on <a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/477185" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">soulless education</a>: how do we get non-Malays and Malays, Muslims and non-Muslims to respect one another in the process of learning and living. This is in relation to how a teacher can forge an environment of respect, so that learning can happen most effectively.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
We have failed to forge respect between the major races. We are still ready to fight one another, with the internet making hate speech viral.</div>
<div class="uk-margin-medium-top uk-text-center text-ad" style="color: #999999; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 2px; margin-top: 40px; text-align: center;">
Advertisement</div>
<div class="print-hide uk-margin-medium-bottom uk-flex uk-flex-center" data-google-query-id="CLfDyI-s3OYCFU5rwQodzHAK7Q" id="div-gpt-ad-is" style="display: flex; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 40px;">
<div id="google_ads_iframe_/6929183/MK-EN//News//InStory_0__container__" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0pt; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0pt; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0pt; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0pt; display: inline-block; height: 250px; padding-top: 0px; width: 300px;">
<iframe data-google-container-id="7" data-is-safeframe="true" data-load-complete="true" frameborder="0" height="250" id="google_ads_iframe_/6929183/MK-EN//News//InStory_0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="3rd party ad content" width="300"></iframe></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Respect is earned – through appreciating what each other has to offer, what each one believes, and how dialogue on understanding each other can continually be forged. It also involves understanding each other’s history, culture, needs, and most importantly, to know that we are all living in a limited physical time on this earth, so that we should not only look to avoid conflict, but also see people's anguish and suffering as an opportunity to help.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">How an education minister should think</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
As an educator for the last 33 years, I see all who sit in my classroom as individuals who can not only teach me about their cultures, but also who can be developed to the fullest potential to become good citizens and workers and spiritual-cultural beings.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2019/04/2189c11f44c27406897db40702116ee6.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Teaching in Malaysia, I have had students from all states and all ethnic groups, and I reward hard work and dedication and the passion the student has in the subject he/she is learning. There is no colour of the skin nor race in considering the grades they earn. There is only what I see produced in the process of learning. There is a set of guidelines/rubric that informs my evaluation and assessment.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Teaching in the United States, thousands of students have come my way, from all over the world, from Afghanistan to Israel, from Jamaica to Switzerland and Somalia. I see them as cultural resources and organic intelligent beings waiting to be infused with critical, creative and global thinking. There is no bell curve type of grading I administer. You work hard for the grade.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Even if you are a star basketball player, or you are of this and that race claiming superiority, you are not judged by your personality nor potential, but by your performance and the artefacts of learning you produce.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">Every educator must think this way</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
It is, therefore, important for a Minister of Education to think as such too, because policies he/she makes will affect not only millions, but also create a future for the child. This kind of thinking requires a deep, broad-based understanding of education, teaching, learning, schooling, human development across cultures, wisdom, political-economy, and the development of nations.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Most importantly, he/she must be equipped with a humanistic philosophy, which simply means looking beyond race, religion, colour, creed, class, since these are mere constructs and can be shattered if they prove to be disabling human progress</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
What we have now is a minister merely carrying out a political agenda. Understandably, as the party dictates. A party that is interested in rebranding an old ideology. There seems to be no sincerity in respecting and developing our country as a multicultural polity. The votes gained were merely for the sake of winning this nation's political lottery.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">Why countries fail</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
In the long run, this nation will fail.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
In my study over the years of failing and successful states, many of those in dire states of development, a.k.a failing states, are the ones that have failed in all aspects of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, countries such as South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan, Central African Republic, and Venezuela.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Racial and religious violence predominate, as the political-economic-social structure collapses. Many of these countries have groups fighting for an “Islamic State”, the destabilising forces aligning themselves with terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, Al Shaabab, and the IS.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
On the other hand, liberal democratic capitalist-socialist hybrids such as Iceland, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark, South Korea and even Singapore – those that to some degree practice pragmatism in politics and adhere as close as possible to instruments of UN human rights, gauged by the UN SDGs, and constantly evolve as workable democracies – are successful nation-states.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Their outlook is global, their respect for human rights is admirable, and their practice of education sustainable. In other words, they think global.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Socrates said: "I am not a citizen of Athens. I am a citizen of the world." Our world within must harmonise with the world outside. In the case of Malaysia, never turn a school into a “<a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/457384" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">medan dakwah</a>.” </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Because a school is a place where democracy and respect must be taught, by living it as a daily practice of democratic ideals, especially crafted from a homegrown Malaysian multicultural way of knowing, seeing, and doing things. Each child is a cultural and cognitive being to be respected and nurtured.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
How do we institutionalise such respect in education? How do we not leave any child behind in the educational world of possibilities?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Vision 2020 has failed us. Because it is a mere slogan that masked the reality of a total loss of respect between races. And this, unfortunately, will continue. Because that’s what politics is about and how it may continue to be if we do not address it deep-rootedly. Educationally. </div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-71117650923182425882019-12-24T20:24:00.000-05:002019-12-24T20:24:16.112-05:00Postpone those Jawi lessons<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="uk-card-media-top uk-position-relative" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="hero-img placeholderAnim" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px;">
<img alt="" class="uk-width-1-1" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2019/12/11edef9d35feffcb60da2260c383599d.jpg=s660" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%;" />
</div>
</div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<div class="uk-flex uk-flex-middle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; align-items: center; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; color: #666666; display: flex; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; min-height: 125px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="width: 100%;">
<div class="category-shared" style="align-items: center; display: flex; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-top: 20px; width: 100%;">
<div class="category-container" style="display: flex; width: 50%;">
<div class="category" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-left-radius: 6px; border-bottom-right-radius: 6px; border-top-left-radius: 6px; border-top-right-radius: 6px; color: #757575; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 1.33; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<strong style="font-weight: bolder;">Opinion</strong></div>
</div>
<div class="uk-flex uk-flex-right shared-container" style="display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; width: 50%;">
<div class="addthis_inline_share_toolbox_qzgm" data-description="COMMENT | No critical thinking nor creative thinking is infused in these lessons. These are just pages of "what is Jawi". So what?" data-title="Postpone the Jawi lessons" data-url="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/504806" style="clear: both;">
<div aria-labelledby="at-fdb3c9d3-671a-4ed3-bbf4-ccfaac358f7e" class="at4-jumboshare at-style-responsive addthis-smartlayers addthis-animated at4-show" id="atstbx2" role="region" style="animation-duration: 0.3s; animation-fill-mode: both; animation-timing-function: ease-out; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div>
<table><tbody>
<tr><td class="at4-count-container" style="border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; display: table-cell; min-width: 200px; padding-right: 20px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"><div class="at4-count" style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica neue,arial; font-size: 60px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 60px;">
<span class="at4-spacer" style="display: block; font-size: 25px; height: 1px; line-height: 25px; opacity: 0; visibility: hidden;">0</span></div>
</td><td class="at-resp-share-element at-share-btn-elements at4-share-container" style="display: table-cell; font-size: 0px; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-facebook" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #3b5998; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 24px; border-bottom-right-radius: 24px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 24px; border-top-right-radius: 24px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to Facebook</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-facebook-15" class="at-icon at-icon-facebook" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: middle; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 22 5.16 c -0.406 -0.054 -1.806 -0.16 -3.43 -0.16 c -3.4 0 -5.733 1.825 -5.733 5.17 v 2.882 H 9 v 3.913 h 3.837 V 27 h 4.604 V 16.965 h 3.823 l 0.587 -3.913 h -4.41 v -2.5 c 0 -1.123 0.347 -1.903 2.198 -1.903 H 22 V 5.16 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-compact" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #ff6550; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 24px; border-bottom-right-radius: 24px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 24px; border-top-right-radius: 24px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to More</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-addthis-16" class="at-icon at-icon-addthis" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: middle; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 18 14 V 8 h -4 v 6 H 8 v 4 h 6 v 6 h 4 v -6 h 6 v -4 h -6 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<h1 class="uk-margin-small" style="color: #333333; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; text-transform: none;">
Postpone the Jawi lessons</h1>
<div class="meta-sizing" style="align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="uk-grid uk-grid-small meta-container" style="display: flex; flex-basis: 0%; flex-direction: row; flex-grow: 1; flex-shrink: 1; flex-wrap: wrap; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" uk-grid="">
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-first-column" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div class="uk-background-cover uk-position-relative" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/malaysiakini.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; margin-bottom: 0px; position: relative; width: 60px;">
<div class="uk-background-cover" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/1/azlyrahman.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; width: 60px;">
</div>
<a class="uk-position-cover" href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="bottom: 0px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; left: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-decoration: none; top: 0px;"></a>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-flex uk-flex-middle uk-text-small" style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px;">
<div class="uk-text-uppercase" style="letter-spacing: 0.5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<strong style="font-weight: bolder;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="color: #212121; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Azly Rahman</a></strong>
</div>
<div class="uk-text-meta" style="color: #999999; display: block; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.4;">
Published: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2019-12-25 07:15:00+08:00">6:15 pm</time> |
Modified: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2019-12-25 07:15:16+08:00">6:15 pm</time>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-margin print-hide sizing" style="display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; width: 110px;">
<button class="sizing-btn plus" id="incfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">+</sup></span> </button>
<button class="sizing-btn minus" id="decfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">-</sup></span> </button>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; padding-top: 30px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="mk-content-text" id="article_content">
<div class="content-drop">
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">COMMENT</span> | The nation will never be ready to accept changes that will make us respect, appreciate, and learn about the beauty of each other’s culture. The political parties do not want to have the people understand the power of multiculturalism, pluralism, and liberal ideas that will bring us to the next level of a national sense of identity.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
I do not think Dong Jiao Zong is against the Jawi script Jawi. It is looking at it as a molehill sitting on top of a mountain, possibly a volcano of Islamic fundamentalism brewed with a new spirit of “Ketuanan Melayu”. The non-Malays are worried of the future of their children, with the inroads the Ministry of Education is making to cement the ideology of race politics. That’s the fear.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">Those three pages</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
I saw the three pages of the exercises on Jawi script. I am worried, from the point of view of an educationist who designs curriculum as well, and who teaches philosophies of education too.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
I think these pages should be removed, or put in the Appendix, or even brought to the Art department as enrichment exercises.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/487839" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">No critical thinking</a> nor creative thinking is infused in these lessons. These are just pages of "what is Jawi". So what? Students are just told that you can find "Jawi" in banknotes, in the national coat of arms, etc. And then what"? Where is the higher-order thinking skills, or the "hots" the Ministry of Education has always been talking about proudly?</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Our children need more that just the <a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/487270" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">lowest level of learning</a> in the Bloom's Taxonomy. Aren't we dealing with the minds of millennials? The new Generation post-Z? The mind of the Malaysian child that needs more that just mundane, dead-end exercises that do not bring higher values in thinking.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Is this how we design our curriculum and use them to guide our lessons and write our textbooks? We have to go beyond what we are seeing in those textbook pages.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">Long way to multiculturalism</b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
If we want to create a thinking society, we must have thoughtful education that celebrates the beauty of learning and frame knowledge and understanding not based on the paradigm of this or that "Maqasid Shariah" or whatever fancy name you call the society of "Rahmatul Lil Alamin".</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
We must go back to scientific thinking and reasoning to craft a philosophy of education and pedagogy of teaching and learning, so that we will have the society of thinkers and doers we wish to have.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2019/08/79a09dee84cbd87ada57a080b9e1d18d.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Right now, things are not moving toward that direction. So much time is invested in turning schools into <i>medan dakwah</i> (theatre of the absurd of Wahabbi thinking), and <i>medan politik</i> (political theatre) to continue <a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/486672" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">dividing society</a> so that they may make enemies out of one another.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
I am fortunate to have taught amongst numerous courses, Cultural Studies, Cultural Perspectives, Cultural Management, Philosophy of Religion and World Religions, to be able to appreciate the beauty of cultural philosophies. </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
I have sat in a Hindu puja ceremony, in a Passover session, saw my Hindu friend cremated, visited my dying Catholic friend and eventually went to his wake and funeral, visited countless churches, had my commencement (graduation ceremony) in Cathedral of St. John the Divine by Columbia University, visited a holy site of the Oneida Indian tribe in upstate New York, sent my students to all kinds of temples to appreciate and study religious differences -- to the mosque, synagogue, Sikh temple, Buddhist temple, a Shaolin Temple, and even a Scientology church in New York city -- to see the variety of human spiritual experience.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Take out the three pages, I’d say. It might save us from further racial conflict blow out of proportion. In fact, our race relations is getting worse. With the emergence and infiltration of Wahabi-ism. </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
That’s why the non-Malay, non-Muslims are unhappy. It is not about the harmless script called “Jawi.”</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<hr style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(229, 229, 229); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; overflow: visible; text-align: inherit; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
AZLY RAHMAN is an academician, international columnist and author of seven books available <a href="https://www.gerakbudaya.com/index.php?route=product/search&search=azly%20rahman&description=true" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">here</a>. He holds a doctorate in international education development and Master’s degrees in six areas: education, international affairs, peace studies, communication, fiction and non-fiction writing. He is a member of the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education. <a href="https://twitter.com/azlyrahman?lang=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Twitter @azlyrahman.</a> More writings <a href="https://www.eurasiareview.com/author/dr-azly-rahman/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 20px 0px;">
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-35729566428747952952019-12-14T23:12:00.001-05:002019-12-14T23:12:38.645-05:00Teaching our teachers <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="uk-card-media-top uk-position-relative" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="hero-img placeholderAnim" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px;">
<img alt="" class="uk-width-1-1" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2019/08/da47c616a412e63fe10540a554f45a74.png=s660" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%;" />
</div>
</div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<div class="uk-flex uk-flex-middle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; align-items: center; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; color: #666666; display: flex; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; min-height: 125px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="width: 100%;">
<div class="category-shared" style="align-items: center; display: flex; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-top: 20px; width: 100%;">
<div class="category-container" style="display: flex; width: 50%;">
<div class="category" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-left-radius: 6px; border-bottom-right-radius: 6px; border-top-left-radius: 6px; border-top-right-radius: 6px; color: #757575; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 1.33; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<strong style="font-weight: bolder;">Opinion</strong></div>
</div>
<div class="uk-flex uk-flex-right shared-container" style="display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; width: 50%;">
<div class="addthis_inline_share_toolbox_qzgm" data-description="COMMENT | No amount of technology can replace a human being, a teacher, including
via that proposal to use video-tapes of “Japanese-style teaching”." data-title="Teaching our teachers" data-url="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/503685" style="clear: both;">
<div aria-labelledby="at-2d3af47a-fb68-4b22-a81d-c477cf476613" class="at4-jumboshare at-style-responsive addthis-smartlayers addthis-animated at4-show" id="atstbx2" role="region" style="animation-duration: 0.3s; animation-fill-mode: both; animation-timing-function: ease-out; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div>
<table><tbody>
<tr><td class="at4-count-container" style="border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; display: table-cell; min-width: 200px; padding-right: 20px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"><div class="at4-count" style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica neue,arial; font-size: 60px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 60px;">
<span class="at4-spacer" style="display: block; font-size: 25px; height: 1px; line-height: 25px; opacity: 0; visibility: hidden;">0</span></div>
<div class="at4-title" style="bottom: 2px; color: #666666; font-size: 18px; line-height: 18px; position: relative;">
<br /></div>
</td><td class="at-resp-share-element at-share-btn-elements at4-share-container" style="display: table-cell; font-size: 0px; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-facebook" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #3b5998; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 24px; border-bottom-right-radius: 24px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 24px; border-top-right-radius: 24px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to Facebook</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-facebook-15" class="at-icon at-icon-facebook" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: middle; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 22 5.16 c -0.406 -0.054 -1.806 -0.16 -3.43 -0.16 c -3.4 0 -5.733 1.825 -5.733 5.17 v 2.882 H 9 v 3.913 h 3.837 V 27 h 4.604 V 16.965 h 3.823 l 0.587 -3.913 h -4.41 v -2.5 c 0 -1.123 0.347 -1.903 2.198 -1.903 H 22 V 5.16 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-compact" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #ff6550; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 24px; border-bottom-right-radius: 24px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 24px; border-top-right-radius: 24px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to More</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-addthis-16" class="at-icon at-icon-addthis" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: middle; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 18 14 V 8 h -4 v 6 H 8 v 4 h 6 v 6 h 4 v -6 h 6 v -4 h -6 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<h1 class="uk-margin-small" style="color: #333333; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; text-transform: none;">
Teaching our teachers</h1>
<div class="meta-sizing" style="align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="uk-grid uk-grid-small meta-container" style="display: flex; flex-basis: 0%; flex-direction: row; flex-grow: 1; flex-shrink: 1; flex-wrap: wrap; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" uk-grid="">
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-first-column" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div class="uk-background-cover uk-position-relative" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/malaysiakini.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; margin-bottom: 0px; position: relative; width: 60px;">
<div class="uk-background-cover" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/1/azlyrahman.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; width: 60px;">
</div>
<a class="uk-position-cover" href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="bottom: 0px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; left: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-decoration: none; top: 0px;"></a>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-flex uk-flex-middle uk-text-small" style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px;">
<div class="uk-text-uppercase" style="letter-spacing: 0.5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<strong style="font-weight: bolder;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="color: #212121; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Azly Rahman</a></strong>
</div>
<div class="uk-text-meta" style="color: #999999; display: block; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.4;">
Published: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2019-12-15 11:18:20+08:00">10:18 pm</time> |
Modified: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2019-12-15 11:18:20+08:00">10:18 pm</time>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-margin print-hide sizing" style="display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; width: 110px;">
<button class="sizing-btn plus" id="incfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">+</sup></span> </button>
<button class="sizing-btn minus" id="decfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">-</sup></span> </button>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; padding-top: 30px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="mk-content-text" id="article_content">
<div class="content-drop">
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">COMMENT</span> | There is this idea of showing <a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/491171" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">recordings</a> of good teachers teaching - the prime minister liked it a lot and wants schools to adopt and implement. I suppose the minister of education would abide by his wish. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
But I hope I am wrong. This is not to be the solution to improve our education system. If this is so, I believe this is an idea whose time should never come.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
This could be good as a piecemeal case study of best practices in teacher training, but misses the point entirely of what teaching is all about. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Each teacher should come in with a passion for teaching (and learning as well), and be developed right there in the classroom. Being coached, mentored, assessed, and professionally developed as an ongoing effort to develop teaching.</div>
<div class="print-hide uk-margin-medium-bottom uk-flex uk-flex-center" data-google-query-id="CP-o8ZPktuYCFYdEcgodWPIKVw" id="div-gpt-ad-is" style="display: flex; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 40px;">
<div id="google_ads_iframe_/6929183/MK-EN//News//InStory_0__container__" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0pt; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0pt; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0pt; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0pt;">
<iframe data-google-container-id="7" data-load-complete="true" frameborder="0" height="280" id="google_ads_iframe_/6929183/MK-EN//News//InStory_0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_iframe_/6929183/MK-EN//News//InStory_0" scrolling="no" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="3rd party ad content" width="336"></iframe></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
The evolution of passion lies in first seeing teaching as a job, then as a profession, and next as a “calling” and the realization that a teacher has the responsibility, privilege and vision to nurture young minds to become not only good ,but also good thinking citizens.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">Philosophy of teaching</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
This is a basic philosophy of teacher empowerment. This has to be the pillar upon which the complex world should rely as we “batch process human beings” through that conveyor belt called “schooling”. An education minister or leader of human capital revolution in any sovereign state must understand this notion of education “from the cradle to the grave”, as the cliché goes.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/1163/d4f5e032d8ae29caaf23a663cca9d441.jpeg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
No amount of technology can replace a human being, a teacher, including via that proposal to use video-tapes of “Japanese-style teaching” so that our children can start “looking East”, while our education system is still plagued with major structural issues of race, religion, power, and class. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
We read about touch and go ideas being "mandated", not understanding the interconnectedness of education, teaching, learning, understanding, and transmission and creative development of knowledge and subject matter. We seem to have those leading education with not enough or none-at-all classroom experience. Unfortunate. For the children of this and future generations.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
In late September in Chicago, I had the opportunity to visit the home and studio of the great American architect Frank Lloyd-Wright, as well as the home of the Nobel-Laureate and literary giant Ernest Hemingway. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
I made some notes reflecting on what makes America still a home of innovators and frontier thinkers, and why many students from all over the word, Trumpism aside, still wish to gain places of study in America’s best universities. It is the commitment to good teaching and to the idea of <i>ars liberalis</i> (arts of a free Man), and the Deweyian-Freirian progressive educational-philosophical foundation of education that permeates the corridors of academia, in a nation-state and a republic that separates religion and the state. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
This framework of schooling, also based upon the idea of Progressivist-Pragmatism rather than purely on an Essentialist-Ideological basis, has helped Americans develop brain-power industries. Of course, the idea of America as a nation state that has developed into a “military-industrial complex”, a postmodern Sparta, is a different matter I can discuss in a different essay.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">The products of teaching </b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
If we produce good teachers, we'll produce good teaching, and good students, and we'll have hope to produce a good generation of those we put on the conveyer belt of education. But it all must start with the philosophy of teaching and how we conceive what the human mind is all about.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Therein lie a complex kaleidoscopic understanding of the content, professional knowledge, skills, attitude, and vision a teacher should have. Then there is the "multiplier effect" of what a teacher can do to thousands of young minds in his/her care. A teacher, simply put, can make or break the soul and spirit of a child, of thousands of children. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/1200/4efba1e873043ef7a510c35a585d97b8.jpeg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Herein lies the idea of human alienation and despair when good teachers are not produced. Herein lies the answer to why students drop out of school and become a problem to society.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
That is why we need to have good practitioners as educational leaders, even at the ministerial or the highest national-educational administrative levels. How do we create geniuses, such as Frank Lloyd-Wright, Da Vinci, Nikolai Tesla, Nelson Mandela, or even Steve Jobs, Miles Davis, and Ernest Hemingway, if we do not have inspiring teachers and a transformative education system that will help empower teachers to become geniuses themselves?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
There is a sense of <a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/503577" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">despair</a> and dread of what is happening in our educational consciousness these days. That we are not moving much further in the way we conceive this mega-structural change called the “new economy” or the wave of the “4.0 industry” that we are now gradually plunging into, as we continue to see the unpreparedness of the workforce, produced by the conveyer belt of human engineering called “schools”.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
We continue to fail to answer the question: what are schools for in this age and time and how the movable and immovable parts in the system play their role in our preparation</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167497.post-50896444339481417832019-12-11T22:19:00.000-05:002019-12-11T22:19:21.373-05:00History is not factual but subjective<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="uk-flex uk-flex-middle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; align-items: center; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; color: #666666; display: flex; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; min-height: 125px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="width: 100%;">
<div class="category-shared" style="align-items: center; display: flex; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-top: 20px; width: 100%;">
<div class="uk-flex uk-flex-right shared-container" style="display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; width: 50%;">
<div class="addthis_inline_share_toolbox_qzgm" data-description="COMMENT | A good history lesson does not teach children to memorise 'facts' that are suspect." data-title="History is not factual but subjective" data-url="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/503297" style="clear: both;">
<div aria-labelledby="at-36802e70-2e28-4964-9191-c935c9b5911d" class="at4-jumboshare at-style-responsive addthis-smartlayers addthis-animated at4-show" id="atstbx2" role="region" style="animation-duration: 0.3s; animation-fill-mode: both; animation-timing-function: ease-out; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div>
<table><tbody>
<tr><td class="at4-count-container" style="border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; display: table-cell; min-width: 200px; padding-right: 20px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"><div class="at4-title" style="bottom: 2px; color: #666666; font-size: 18px; line-height: 18px; position: relative;">
<br /></div>
</td><td class="at-resp-share-element at-share-btn-elements at4-share-container" style="display: table-cell; font-size: 0px; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-facebook" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #3b5998; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 24px; border-bottom-right-radius: 24px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 24px; border-top-right-radius: 24px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to Facebook</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-facebook-15" class="at-icon at-icon-facebook" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: middle; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 22 5.16 c -0.406 -0.054 -1.806 -0.16 -3.43 -0.16 c -3.4 0 -5.733 1.825 -5.733 5.17 v 2.882 H 9 v 3.913 h 3.837 V 27 h 4.604 V 16.965 h 3.823 l 0.587 -3.913 h -4.41 v -2.5 c 0 -1.123 0.347 -1.903 2.198 -1.903 H 22 V 5.16 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a><a class="at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-compact" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" role="button" style="background-color: #ff6550; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 24px; border-bottom-right-radius: 24px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 24px; border-top-right-radius: 24px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;" tabindex="0"><span class="at4-visually-hidden" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute;">Share to Mo</span><span class="at-icon-wrapper" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; overflow: hidden; width: 32px;"><svg aria-labelledby="at-svg-addthis-16" class="at-icon at-icon-addthis" role="img" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; fill: #ffffff; float: left; height: 32px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: middle; width: 32px;" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 32 32" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M 18 14 V 8 h -4 v 6 H 8 v 4 h 6 v 6 h 4 v -6 h 6 v -4 h -6 Z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></g></svg></span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<h1 class="uk-margin-small" style="color: #333333; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; text-transform: none;">
History is not factual but subjective</h1>
<div class="meta-sizing" style="align-items: center; display: flex;">
<div class="uk-grid uk-grid-small meta-container" style="display: flex; flex-basis: 0%; flex-direction: row; flex-grow: 1; flex-shrink: 1; flex-wrap: wrap; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" uk-grid="">
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-first-column" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div class="uk-background-cover uk-position-relative" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/malaysiakini.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; margin-bottom: 0px; position: relative; width: 60px;">
<div class="uk-background-cover" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: url("//static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/1/azlyrahman.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 30px; border-bottom-right-radius: 30px; border-top-left-radius: 30px; border-top-right-radius: 30px; height: 60px; width: 60px;">
</div>
<a class="uk-position-cover" href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="bottom: 0px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; left: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-decoration: none; top: 0px;"></a>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-width-auto uk-flex uk-flex-middle uk-text-small" style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; width: auto;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px;">
<div class="uk-text-uppercase" style="letter-spacing: 0.5px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<strong style="font-weight: bolder;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/a?language=en&q=Azly%20Rahman" style="color: #212121; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Azly Rahman</a></strong>
</div>
<div class="uk-text-meta" style="color: #999999; display: block; font-size: 0.87rem; line-height: 1.4;">
Published: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2019-12-12 08:10:00+08:00">7:10 pm</time> |
Modified: <time class="top-meta" datetime="2019-12-12 08:11:02+08:00">7:11 pm</time>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="uk-margin print-hide sizing" style="display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; width: 110px;">
<button class="sizing-btn plus" id="incfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">+</sup></span> </button>
<button class="sizing-btn minus" id="decfont" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #616161; font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin-left: 2px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 200ms; transition-property: all; transition-timing-function: ease;" type="button"> <span>A<sup style="font-size: 75%; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">-</sup></span> </button>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Verdana,Tahoma,Roboto,Arial,Oxygen,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Fira Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; padding-top: 30px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="mk-content-text" id="article_content">
<div class="content-drop">
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">COMMENT</span> | There is an attempt to write “inclusive history”. A group of historians is seeking public donations to the tune of millions of ringgit to <a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/465950" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(63, 81, 181); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #1e87f0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">rewrite history</a>. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
I think it is a good idea, as long as the paradigm of historicising does not create an enriched version of the same old boring stuff that puts our children to sleep with stories of vainglorious sultans of the past, an idiotic sense of the greatness of civilisations, the celebration of tyrants mistaken as benevolent leaders, and above all, the continuing hidden agenda to close the minds of Malaysians. </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
So that History teachers and professors can continue to be “sages on stage” singing praises for dictators, despots, and degenerative leaders whose names are etched in our children textbooks.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
No, we don't need that kind of inclusive historical writing anymore. We don't need to administer a new brand of opiate to our children, so that they may vape their consciousness away, leaving a legacy of idiocy in the name of curriculum reform.</div>
<div class="print-hide uk-margin-medium-bottom uk-flex uk-flex-center" data-google-query-id="CP6xsuGSr-YCFY7ayAod2MkNpw" id="div-gpt-ad-is" style="display: flex; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 40px;">
<div id="google_ads_iframe_/6929183/MK-EN//News//InStory_0__container__" style="border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0pt; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0pt; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0pt; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Historical facts are oxymoronic as a concept, to say the least.<br />
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">Asking the wrong questions</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
How does one teach Malaysian History? </div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Those who think that we cannot question historical facts have not learned the philosophy of history, nor been introduced to more exciting, creative and critical thinking.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Teachers and university educators who preach ‘official histories’ need to be introduced to the varieties of teaching strategies for teaching History, as well as the spectrum of views on particular periods of history.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
A skilled teacher/university educator will humbly entertain any question on history. The more we question ‘historical facts’, the sharper our thinking will become. The more we question the origin of things, the better we will play our role as masters of our own destiny. And the healthier our sense of our democracy will be.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
A healthy democracy is one that teaches each and every child what ‘politics’ means. In History classes, it teaches the meaning of justice and fairness, and of the use and abuse of power. It teaches the process and possibilities of democracy, and not of democracy as a product created by the elite few. It teaches them to become active and reflective citizens.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2019/08/3e5e19d6f967bbb98b86f62b7ec561cd.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
A good History lesson does not teach children to memorise facts that are suspect - of who controlled this or that territory, or which kingdom was overthrown by this or that usurping prince.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
It teaches them to question 'facts' and to put individuals on trial. It puts Christopher Columbus on trial for murdering thousands of Arawak Indians in the process of being canonised as the ‘founder’ of America.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
A good History lesson does not teach the idea that Parameswara - who fled his kingdom in an unsuccessful coup attempt in Palembang - is a hero. It teaches children about rulers who were murderers and plunderers and slave-owners.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
The story of a glorified Parameswara as a founder is a bad history lesson - how can we still glorify a ‘historical fact’ of an usurper and a murderer as a founder of Malacca? It is like glorifying the early history of Manhattan Island, New York City, when it was a haven for smugglers, pirates and bootleggers.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
A good history lesson makes history come alive by allowing children to play the role of makers of their own history. It allows children to put Parameswara on trial for murder and revolt. It teaches children to question the founding of Malacca and the intention of the author/court-propagandist Tun Sri Lanang who wrote it.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
A good History class is one that teaches children to revise, debunk and deconstruct history as a tool of mass deception. It challenges students to look at history in radically different ways, to make history come alive, because history is subjective, and ever revisionist.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">The people’s history of the land</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
A good History class teaches children the people’s history of the land - of those who died building monuments, factories, bridges, tunnels, those who fought and died in the many battles and skirmishes between 'rulers' of the land. These are the unsung heroes of history that our children ought to be taught to honour.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
A good History lesson teaches children not just other people’s history, but more importantly, their own - beginning with one’s personal history, one’s family, one’s people.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
The way we still teach History and Social Studies reflects why Malaysians cannot yet evolve from the consciousness of ‘waiting for the messiahs/saviors/matrieya/al-Mahdi/menteri’, to the consciousness of the Self as the true ruler of the Kingdom within.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Our land is littered with name after name of individuals who wielded dynastic power since time immemorial - names of those deserving or not. These names are inscribed on road signs, billboards, in many <i>lorong </i>in many, many <i>kampung</i>, landmark buildings, corporate towers, stadiums, schools, higher education institutions, and deep in the consciousness of the people.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="medium-insert-images">
<figure style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2019/09/55783cefb4538d4f64c7ef857a1efd73.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></figure></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
We become colonised by these names, signs, and symbols. The mind becomes paralysed, colonised by these concepts, signs and symbols.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Our political conversations will be more meaningful when we stop this colonisation of the mind.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
“Man makes history,” said the historian EH Carr. It is the “people’s history” as American historian Howard Zinn would say, that ought to be honoured.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
<b style="font-weight: bolder;">Questioning history</b></div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
It becomes crucial what perspective of history we use in crafting its ancillary - Citizenship Studies/Kenegaraan. We must reconceptualise the way we approach teaching it.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
It is best to consider the following questions concerning history:</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
What kind of history is most meaningful to the individual?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Who writes history?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
From what point of view is history written?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
How does history contribute to lethal ethnocentrism?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Under what circumstances do historians lie?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Is there such a thing as ‘historical facts’ when historical accounts are biases reconstructed based on selective memory?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Who gets marginalised in the process of historicising?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
When will ‘history’ become ‘her-story’?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
What images of women, immigrants, minorities, natives are presented in history textbooks?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
In a multiracial and pluralistic society, how is a national history textbook written?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Must history continue to glorify individuals, despots, autocrats, dictators, symbols of slavery and oppression?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
How do we make history lessons come alive?</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
Let us re-evaluate the 'lies' our History teachers told us, and continue to tell us.</div>
<div style="color: #212121; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">
The question remains: how inclusive must our History curriculum be?</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0