More “Other Views” on Vernacular Schools and Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS)

For a more rounded discussion on the subject of Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS), we publish more views obtained from the public domain. Some of them we do not agree with but wish to discuss them with you here.

Readers are welcomed to comment. It does not matter how short the comments may be, so long as they are in the normal language, not rude or seditious, no expletives, profanities, etc. Reasonably lengthy ones are also welcomed.

There are, of course, many articles on SSS that we agree with practically in their entirety and we have published a few of them earlier on.

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1. Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua
Posted by: Goh Wei Liang in Klik4Malaysia.com on Nov 16, 2009

Lately, the Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua campaign is hotly debated among politicians and educationists.

The opinions are well divided with Chinese educationists and the Malaysian Chinese Association being the most vocal opponents of the idea.

Personally, I was glad to first hear about the 1 School Concept Petition some time ago. We all must agree that the way we are brought up will determine our character and mindset in the future.

The main method is of course through education. In other words, education are the basic fundamentals of a strong, united and dynamic society.

A blog (http://deminegara.blogspot.com/2009/05/satu-sekolah-untuk-semua.html) started this petition. Subsequently, mainstream bloggers publicised this campaign in their personal blogs as well as in several political groups in Facebook.

Today, we can see that many blogs are carrying the SSS banner, a symbol of support for the campaign to see a unified single education stream.

The title seems catchy and initially I had the thought that finally, someone is making the sincere moves to unite the plural society in Malaysia which coincidentally is a vision of our former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

However, till today, I have not signed the petition. Upon reading the wording of Kempen Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua, I told myself this is not the way I envision the concept and project.

As much as I am for 1 Malaysia and a 1 School concept, I cannot agree with the contents of petition. The gist of this campaign is a critical point of view against vernacular schools. The main content reads

” Sekolah Vernakular (SJKC dan SJKT) adalah punca utama ketidakserasian dan ketegangan kaum di negara kita tercinta. “

For those who have been following my blog, friends and relatives close to me, you all know how much I support national schools and I have always been critical that vernacular schools are possibly among the causes of national disunity – a stark contrast of opinion with the stand of the party that I support.

The 1 School Campaign is good but it cannot be based on a condemnation of vernacular schools only.

I believe my opinions on the wording are shared by the non Bumiputera community. Someone should write a better campaign and petition on 1 School.

If you have not forgotten, upon completion of major exams like UPSR and PMR, many Bumiputera students go to other types of school also.

These schools are in place mainly for the creme de la creme of Bumiputera students – specifically Malays.

Although some might argue that the boarding schools and elite schools are open to non Malays also, but the amount of places offered to them can be dismissed as insignificant.

If vernacular schools are probable causes of disharmony, then other school types like Sekolah Berasrama Penuh, MRSM, Sekolah Agama and many more are to share to blame.

1 School Campaign is wrong to begin by condemning the vernacular schools only as they are not the sole cause of disunity among Malaysians.

If 1 School is to be implemented at the expense of vernacular schools, I hope the Government consider scrapping the other types of schools under SBP, MARA and Sekolah Agama as well.

Otherwise, I foresee unrest and unhappiness among the multiracial society in Malaysia.

To lay down the foundations of a 1School Concept, we must all get things clear that the Government’s policy in the provision of Education must ensure that education is available for every single Malaysian with no barriers.

By no barriers, I suggest a complete unification of the schools under a single unified education stream that provides education access to students from all walks of life regardless of race and economic status.

Every dollar of public fund spent on education must not substantially favour any particular race be it Chinese, Malays or Indians. However, I do suggest that variant of the national schools should be permitted to co-exist with the national schools and international schools.

These variants may of course include SBP and vernacular schools where the education in these schools are to be listed under the private schools sector.

Let these other types of schools be funded by the Malaysian community, businessmen and philantrophists.

These schools should be delisted from under the National Schools Policy and be allowed them to be adopted by the private sector and the communities. This way, 1 School will be seen as 1 Malaysia.

This “extreme” approach will be acceptable by many I am sure. One has to give to gain something in return and this message must be imparted in the minds of all Malaysians.

I love my country and I love the idea of 1 School which unites people under 1 Language and 1 System.

But this must not be exploited as an opportunity to slam vernacular schools as the main cause of disharmony as other types of non national & non vernacular schools are to be blamed too.

Having said all these, my comments will not be well received by Chinese educationists and neither will it be endorsed by the Malaysian Chinese Association. Though I am a Malaysian Chinese, I do aspire to see a united Malaysian society.

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2. Vernacular Schools in Malaysia
Published in calltoreason.org – Thursday, November 13, 2008 17:37

This post grew out of comments that I made in a post on Jed Yoong’s blog which linked to another blogger’s post calling for all vernacular Tamil schools in Malaysia to be closed down. I think it’s worth taking the effort to explain that in this context, “vernacular schools” refers solely to primary schools that use Chinese and Tamil as the medium of instruction, while still receiving government funding, as opposed to those that teach using the national language, Bahasa Malaysia the so-called “Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan”.

There are a couple of obfuscating factors at work here that needs to be explained. One, the original call to close down Tamil schools cited the generally poor quality of these schools as a primary reason. As Jed Yoong quoted from the original writer of the post, Balan:

One of the contributing factors leading Indian youth to gangsterism and other criminal activities is their inability to excel in education, particularly when they enter secondary school.

The new environment and being not conversant in Bahasa Malaysia which is the medium of teaching in secondary school have resulted in students dropping out after their PMR and SPM.

The reason this happens is the poor quality of Tamil schools in the country. Most of the Tamil schools in the country are poorly managed, lack facilities and are helmed by substandard headmasters and teachers.

But as I commented, this, as far as I know, does not apply to Chinese vernacular schools! It’s a well known fact that the Chinese in Malaysia place a high priority on their children’s education. If the Chinese vernacular schools prove to be of poorer quality than the national schools, I have no doubt whatsoever that the parents of the students attending them would immediately move them to better ones. This actually leads us to the second point: why is there such a difference between the quality of education offered by the Tamil vernacular schools and the Chinese ones?

As it turns out, while vernacular Chinese schools do indeed tap the government for funding, they also raise additional funds from parents and the general Chinese community. As I see it, this explains the disparity between the generally decrepit facilities and poor quality of education of the Tamil schools and the well equipped, highly regarded quality of education offered by Chinese ones.

Still, as these schools still receive government funding, it’s only fair to raise and discuss the issue of whether such schools should exist at all. The argument against them is perhaps best set out in this editorial by Azly Rahman which is well worth reading. The general idea is that vernacular schools segregates students by race at a young and impressionable age which, it is argued, is detrimental to the unity of the nation. To this line of argument, I beg to raise the following points:

While it’s heartwarming and indeed desirable to see young children of different races studying and playing together, I honestly believe that this will not help much in getting rid of the racial tensions that exist in the country. Let’s not be naive and believe that Malaysian citizens will ever mingle and live as if they were not of different races. Different races and cultures will always have different tastes in entertainment, food and even lifestyles. The point of the exercise should not be in eliminating differences but acknowledging them and even celebrating in them. What we should work towards is mutual tolerance and respect for each other, despite our differences, and the only way to achieve that is addressing perceived injustices with regards to government treatment towards different races and cultures. In other words, I do not believe that racial divisions arise from the people. I believe that they arise out of government policies.

There is a clear wish here to use public schools as institutions to create and foster a sort of Malaysian identity. I have misgivings concerning this because it seems to me to be overriding the parents’ right to educate and bring up their children as they see fit in the interests of what is thought to be a wider and greater good. Bringing up a child is an extremely personal and emotional affair and I believe that having the government interfere in that process, barring cases of outright child abuse, would be a violation of human rights. It is true that the government should not be obliged to cater and provide funding for every type of educational scheme wished for by parents, but in this case, such schools already exist and parents apparently do want their children to attend them.

As per above, it would seem to me that closing down these schools against the wishes of the community would not only fail in the long-term to foster the national unity desired, but cause plenty of short-term racial divisions. The Indian and Chinese communities would simply have yet another grievance to hold against the government and the Malays.

Finally, the detractors of the vernacular schools argue that the concerns of the ethnic communities can be assuaged by offering the maternal language of these communities as optional subjects in the national schools, upgrading the quality of the national schools and removing the creeping Islamisation and Ketuanan Melayu aspects from them. I argue the opposite. The existence of vernacular schools does not prevent these improvements to the national schools from being carried out. Show that the national schools can indeed meet the needs of the parents of the different communities, prove to them that they can offer education of good quality and put a firm end to racist teaching of Malay supremacy in them. Achieve all that and the vernacular schools will simply wither and die on their own because no parent will want to send their children to them!

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3. Voice of Malaysia : Vernacular Schools, Boon or Bane? Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Of all countries in the South East Asian region, Malaysia is a distinctive case where there are 3 different streams of schools in its education set-up, catering to the respective major races. Naturally, this phenomenon doesn’t sit well amongst some people with misplaced feelings of nationalism who see this uniqueness to be a great impediment to solid nation-building but as a dispassionate observer, I strongly disagree on their premise.

A case in point, I am a product of national school where medium of instruction is in the majority language, Bahasa Malaysia. No doubt, I had an early head-start in socialising with students of various races and we became good friends, thus giving me a better understanding of fellow Malaysians. Looking back, I enjoyed my schooling years very much.

During that time, I was a discriminatory child for I grew up showing contempt to the Chinese educated students due to their overall weaker command of English and Bahasa Malaysia. On top of that, I was under the mistaken belief that they had a less than worldly view of things. Only after leaving school, did I realize my puerile thought had no basis because in reality, these students are made of sterner stuff particularly in areas of resilience, discipline, humility and most of all, character. Additionally, their arithmetic skills have been acknowledged to be far superior to their national schools’ counterparts.

Back to those who oppose the presence of vernacular schools on the pretext of it being a stumbling block to greater national unity. Either these critics are genuinely ignorant or choose to conveniently ignore the bigger issues affecting national cohesiveness. While in school, I wrote countless of essays espousing the greatness of our country where people respect each other and we live in perfect harmony. I admit I was very patriotic; not that I’m any less, nowadays. However, I received the first dose of reality tinged with shock and bitterness upon discovery that the intake of students into local higher institutions of learning is not based on absolute meritocracy. Students who performed less admirably were readily admitted into universities at the expense of their peers who scored better by the virtue of the race they were born as. Not only that, MARA institutes of learning are virtually filled by students of a particular race. And to think of it, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Therefore to say with the abolishment of vernacular schools, greater national unity can be achieved is just a misleading notion. Eventually people will still feel aggrieved when they leave school, so long the root causes are not fixed.

I believe vernacular schools are needed by Malaysia more than ever, now that China and India are on the rise. Malaysians need to be at least conversant in either Mandarin or Tamil to engage with the citizens of these 2 rising giants because we will reach a point in time when these two nations will present us with business opportunities. One may argue that Hindi is spoken more widely in India but who is to say with certainty that when India advances as a whole, its Tamil Nadu state will not progress accordingly? With our sizeable communities of Malaysians with Chinese and Indian descents and the vernacular schools they are educated in, we will have the edge over our other Asian neighbours when China and India finally make their mark at world stage. Therefore, it makes economic sense to maintain vernacular schools in Malaysia. As it is, the younger generation of Vietnamese and Thais can converse in Mandarin. Given the high stakes, surely we don’t want to be left behind.

Let’s be reminded that we are now paying for our past mistake in relegating the importance of English language when in the past, our earlier generations possessed better command of the language, thanks to English medium schools, which have now been confined to the history books. I doff my hat to the Malay and Indian parents who have the foresight to send their children to vernacular schools. They are doing a great service to their children and I am embarrassed no end whenever young Malay children speak flawless Mandarin to me and I am unable to reply! Being multilingual has many benefits and numerous studies done have confirmed this. I don’t believe at all that by being educated in vernacular schools, they will turn out to be less Malay. In fact, more and more Malays are sending their children to vernacular schools.

To further allay our fears, compared to the Pre-Independence years, our vernacular schools have ceased to adopt the syllabuses of the countries of origin. Instead, what we have now is a uniform syllabus with emphasis on nation-building. The only difference lies in the medium of instruction.

For the sake of pragmatism, let us not cast a bad light on vernacular schools anymore.

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4. YKSM : Sekolah Satu Aliran – Are we serious about racial integration? 13 January 2010

We have been talking a lot about 1Malaysia for this past year. Not only the Government has been propagating it but the opposition has to a certain extent jumped on the band wagon claiming that certain things, which are not done by the Government, should be carried out in line with the 1Malaysia spirit. There has been talk about changing the Biro Tata Negara courses to be more in line with the spirit of 1Malaysia, establishing of the 1Malaysia unit trust and ultimately the changing of Government Link Companies (GLC) logo to be in line with the 1Malaysia base logo.

Apart from recent suggestions by Dato Mukhriz Mahathir and Tan Sri Professor Khoo Kay Kim on restructuring the current school system to adopt the single stream concept, there has been little take up on this issue.

Why not? Our education system may be the key pivotal factor that could lead towards integration of our multiracial society. This is where our kids learn, play and interact with one another. Through interaction, we will understand one another. As it is, there are some Chinese who think that halal food for Malay Muslims only mean that the food should be pork free only. Vice versa for Malays, most of them think that all Chinese who have a Christian name must be a Christian. Both circumstances demonstrate the ignorance of the respective race groups about one another. This ignorance can be addressed through better understanding and appreciation of one another. In order to understand one another, we must first become friends. As it is we hardly interact with other race groups as we work and play separately. The current situation can be traced back to our separation which began at our schools. Why?

The argument for the Chinese or Tamil vernacular schools is that for these race groups to better understand their cultures. Why can’t education on these cultures be taught at the national schools where not only the Chinese or the Indians can learn about their respective cultures but other races can learn them too? You can learn the Chinese language as an additional language in a single stream school. Besides, if the Chinese argue that they should learn about their mother tongue, then they should teach Cantonese, Hokkien or even Hakka, instead of Mandarin as a language. As far as I understand, Mandarin is the official language of China but it is not mainly spoken by the Chinese ethnic groups in Malaysia. Furthermore, if the argument for having vernacular schools is for each race groups to learn about their respective cultures, then should we also create Iban or Kadazan streamed schools to protect their cultures and languages?

A phenomenon that has been increasingly prevalent nowadays is the racial polarization in our society. Society tends to mingle, play and work around their respective racial groups. The separation starts at the tender age of seven and this will continue for the next eleven years. This is evident as close to 95% of the Chinese send their children to Chinese vernacular schools. So long as we have multi stream schools, this separation of society will continue.

Though it is important that we should facilitate the preservation of the cultures of each race groups, but efforts towards the integration and assimilation into the multicultural society of Malaysia should not be avoided. What better and more effective way other than doing it at our schools? Kids can easily be tended and nurtured at the young age, as they see individuals beyond the colours of racial background.

In addition to propagating the non-Malays on letting go of the vernacular schools, the Government should promote and upgrade the national schools so that it becomes the first choice for parents in sending their children for education. The best talents and most resources should be directed to the national schools. The national schools should also provide subjects that teach the various race groups of their respective cultures. Furthermore there is an alleged fear that the national schools is promoting Islamic tendencies though its practices, like the recital of doa and other Islamic-based programmes. The Government should make the national schools more palatable to the multiracial society by toning down some of these activities, as to make the other racial groups more comfortable with the national schools.

If the Government is not able to remove the vernacular school systems in the near future due to political reasons, then it should make the national schools more enticing so that society would voluntarily send their kids to be educated there.

In summary, there should be a move towards converting our schools into a single stream system, whether by immediately removing the vernacular schools or indirectly increasing the role of the national schools in the education system, so that the vernacular schools become insignificant. This move is essential as it may be the pivotal factor in integrating our society together, hence moving towards achieving our vision of a 1Malaysia!

Other Views On Vernacular Schools

This time we publish some other views on vernacular schools. We disagree with some of the views expressed. But let us have a healthy and mature discussion in this blog.

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1. Letter to New Straits Times

VERNACULAR SCHOOLS: Look for quality education
2009/11/19

SAMUEL YESUIAH, Seremban

LIONG Kam Chong of Seremban has offered some good and constructive ideas on how to make vernacular (Chinese and Tamil) schools more national and more 1Malaysia in character (“Let’s work on new roles for vernacular schools” — NST, Nov 11).
The calls for a single-stream school system would mean that vernacular schools would cease to exist. The writer has given new roles for vernacular schools so that these schools can exist and fulfil national aspirations.

A single-stream school system does not have to mean upholding one stream and discarding the other schools but rather that all schools, national as well as vernacular primary schools, pursuing a single goal and objective.

The writer has given workable options to vernacular school stakeholders to make their schools relevant and Malaysian in nature.

Vernacular schools have existed for more than half a century and are part of our national heritage. These schools should be revived and reformed rather than made redundant.

There are certain logistics that have to be considered for the vernacular schools to co-exist with national schools in this country.

There are about 1,000 Chinese primary schools and about 500 Tamil schools in the country. What would happen to these schools? Some of these vernacular schools have excellent facilities, such as swimming pools and auditoriums, and offer excellent learning environments.

There are about a few hundred thousand vernacular schoolteachers who teach in their mother tongue language to the children of vernacular schools. What would happen to these teachers in a single-stream school system?

What about the position of senior assistants, curriculum and student affairs teachers who have been carrying out the administrative work of these schools?

These teachers appointed by the Education Ministry have been selected based on their experience and service.

And where will the head teachers of these vernacular schools fit in a single-school system? Will they retain their positions? These and other logistical and personnel issues in vernacular education should be considered carefully before thinking about single-stream schools.

Therefore, the best and most viable option is to make vernacular schools reflect the ideals and aspiration of national schools and let parents decide which is their choice.

Ultimately, what is important is not whether we have a single-stream or multiple-stream school system, but rather, schools that offer quality education to fulfil the objectives of the national education policy and reflect the true identity of our country’s unity in diversity.

This can be realised in national schools as well as in vernacular schools.

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2. From Infernal Ramblings blog

http://www.infernalramblings.com:

Segregated Schools: Why Vernacular Schools and Malay Boarding Schools Harm Malaysia

Written by johnleemk on Feb 25, 2007.

One of, if not the, most controversial thing you can say about Malaysian education is that our segregated school system harms the country and divides it. However unpleasant this simple truth may be, people don’t seem interested in facing it.

For this article, ignore the question of what we should do about the segregated school system. Don’t concern yourself with that. Before we can begin to define solutions, we must first establish whether there is a problem, and determine what that problem is.

The figures are quite stark. 94% of Chinese attend a Chinese vernacular school for their primary education. About 75% of Indians attend a Tamil vernacular school. 99% of Malays attend a national school.

I don’t know what the precise proportions are for secondary school, but I do know that most Chinese and Indians end up in national secondary schools. However, the best and brightest Malays are shipped off to boarding schools meant exclusively for Malays. (An exception are the MARA Junior Science Colleges, which have a 10% non-Bumiputra quota.)

Now, just ask yourself. Is it good, or bad if the vast majority of primary school students interact with students from only their ethnic community? It can’t be good. It’s highly doubtful that it’s neutral. It has to be bad, is it not?

If you’re unconvinced, then think about it. Would you be more susceptible to propaganda against other ethnic groups if you have spent your life surrounded only by those of your own community? Would you be more likely to negatively stereotype those of other races if you have never mixed with them, never gotten to know them as individuals?

The answer has to be a resounding yes. The reason the government can put out so much propaganda about the Chinese being excessively rich is because the Malays rarely get to know a large enough sampling of Chinese to understand that most Chinese are lower- or middle-class.

Similarly, the reason so many Chinese youth (yes, including some educated in national schools) stereotype Indians as gangsters and Malays as lazy or stupid is because they never get to know the bright and intelligent Malays and Indians. How can we have national unity with a segregated school system?

One might think that the problem would be addressed by integrated neighbourhoods. The problem is that in urban areas, people hardly ever get to know their neighbours well, regardless of ethnic group. There is rarely a sense of community in the city or town.

The villages, on the other hand, tend to be overwhelmingly dominated by one race. My hometown, for example, is a little town near the border of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. It is predominantly Chinese. My grandfather, who runs a grocery shop, mainly interacts with Malays as his customers.

With such a limited context for interaction, it is easy to see how misunderstandings can arise. The Malays might end up thinking, for example, that most Chinese are rich shopkeepers!

That is why schools are so important. They represent a neutral middle ground for different communities to congregate. The young are not racially-minded. They don’t think in terms of race. If from young, they think of a multi-ethnic community as normal, they will continue to view it as the natural thing to do.

If, on the other hand, they are only exposed to one race in primary school, even at the secondary level, when they meet those from other ethnic communities, they will think it odd. They will likely clique with those from their own race, and that’s where the problem of racial polarisation arises.

Am I wrong? I could be — I don’t dare rule that out. But I think my unpopular hypothesis has a ring of truth to it. The government’s discriminatory policies contribute to racial polarisation, no doubt. But can you really say that dividing our young according to ethnic group doesn’t contribute significantly to the problem either?

Some of the comments:

a. Students from vernacular schools as young as nine years of age are taunting Indians for their skin colour (some in secondary school still have a phobia of them). Most Malays never have the opportunity to mix with Chinese and Indians due to vernacular schools. The solution? National service, a stop-gap measure ten years too late; integration should begin at seven, not seventeen!

These conditions breed the sort of racial divisions that were reflected in Parliament a few months ago when one MP took the trouble to complain about an advertisement showing a Malay youth being rude. Until we rid ourselves of this parasitic cancer, I am very pessimistic about Malaysia’s future.

The first step to eliminating racial stereotyping and division is to integrate schools. But of course the d*** Chinese/Tamil chauvinists won’t accept this, even if the Mandarin and Tamil language classes are readily available in most national primary schools!

Clearing this hurdle clears the way to many other things. A rakyat that is no longer divided will pay no heed to any number of keris-wavings. A rakyat united will call for a more even-handed affirmative action policy. A rakyat united will stop this f***ing bulls*** about race, and start talking about the nation.

Sounds farfetched? It is. I’ve given up hope on Malaysia. It’s the old chicken-or-egg cycle; the government won’t change till the rakyat changes, but the rakyat won’t change till the government changes. Oh, well. KERANAMU MALAYSIA

b. Big changes are hard to make, so start with a small one. Refuse to fill out the ‘race’ section of any and all forms. Suggest to your company that they do the same. One step, one foot in front of the other and eventually you will get there. Take a step. Refuse to fill it out. I refuse. The only race I’m in is the human race and Malaysia is rather far behind the pack at this point.

If race is not on the application form – it won’t mean that the HR person will view Malay/Chinese/India/Other any differently when they walk through the door, but then, it’s a start. Small, but a start. Make a start.

“The first step to eliminating racial stereotyping and division is to integrate schools. But of course the d*** Chinese/Tamil chauvinists won’t accept this, even if the Mandarin and Tamil language classes are readily available in most national primary schools! “

c. It’s true that we need to integrate the Chinese, Indian and Malay school together. However, we need to understand why the Chinese or Indian are sending their Children to vernacular school? Is it because the quality of vernacular school is much better than national school? Before the 80s, a lot Chinese in my hometown send their children to national school because of the quality of education are much superior than vernacular school. Lately, the quality of national school drop drastically which resulted less Chinese students in-take. How could you expect parents to send the children to school with low quality? Furthermore, this also showed that the government needs to focus on improve the quality of national school. Once we improve the quality of education provided by national school, you’ll see the increase of Chinese students in-take.

3. From Infernal Ramblings blog

http://www.infernalramblings.com:

Vernacular Schools Exact High Price in National Unity
Written by johnleemk on Jul 2, 2008.

Perhaps the most immutable constant in Malaysian politics is vernacular education. Almost anything can be subject to negotiation – people grumble, and then they get over it – but touch vernacular schools, and you can expect an immense backlash from the non-Malay communities. The non-Malays will sit down and accept your questioning their right to be Malaysian citizens, but the moment you suggest that the present system of vernacular education is detrimental in any way to the country’s future, they will rise up in anger. The problem is, vernacular schools do harm the country. There are significant downsides to the present way we run our education system; they may be outweighed by stronger benefits, but even so, we must accept that we have to pay a high price in terms of national unity for the present structure of our education system.

The clearest benefit of vernacular schools is that they help non-Malay students master their mother tongue. Many people who did not attend a vernacular school, including myself, regret our poor command of our mother tongue. This is unquestionably an important function of vernacular education, too easily and frequently glossed over by people who claim to champion national unity.

Unfortunately, the way the present system functions is that non-Malay parents who want their children to learn Chinese or Tamil will send their children to vernacular schools, and everyone else will send their children to national schools. The obvious problem that arises is that national schools become effectively Malay schools. Only a very small number of national schools have a non-negligible amount of non-Malay students, and they are overwhelmingly concentrated in a few urban areas. Common figures I see quoted in the media indicate that over 90% of Chinese students attend a Chinese vernacular primary school, while over 70% of Tamil students attend a Tamil vernacular primary school. We have effectively established a segregated school system.

A segregated school system is extremely detrimental to national unity. This is almost impossible to debate; the only question is how far segregated schools contribute to racial polarisation. Most non-Malays I know blame pro-Malay government policies for racial polarisation, and argue that most vernacular schools do not preach any sort of racist or chauvinist ideology. These points are well taken. However, consider this: our education system consigns the vast majority of young Malaysians to spending the six most formative years of their lives in schools overwhelmingly dominated by people of one race, one religion, and one language.

We all know that how we grow up has a huge impact on us; our habits, our behaviour, our thought patterns, our character – they all are heavily influenced by our upbringing. Right now, we are bringing up young Malaysians in a setting exposing them to a very limited subset of Malaysian society.

Perhaps Malaysia’s richest asset is that it has three very diverse cultures, very different ways of thinking, to draw upon. But our heterogeneity can only be exploited if we know how to work and live together. If we do not develop the skills to socialise and interact with those outside our own ethnic community, how can we ever hope to work with them?

I don’t claim to have the perfect answer to the problems of national unity and mother tongue education. Undoubtedly, there is a trade-off: for non-Malays, our greater facility in Chinese and Tamil comes at the cost of setting ourselves apart from Malays for six crucial and formative years. I do not think this is a viable education system; the costs of racial polarisation are too high.

At the same time, those who claim to champion national unity by integrating all schools under the banner of national schools often do this cause no favour by proposing unrealistic solutions. The simple fact is that national schools are often dominated by administrators with blatantly racist ideologies of their own; stories abound of principals who refuse to respect non-Muslim religious traditions and seek to impose Malay and Muslim cultural norms on non-Malays and non-Muslims. A simple plan to immediately place all schools under one “national” system that is actually effectively a Malay school system cannot work. A measured compromise is the only way forward.

A good first step would be to actually nationalise national schools. When 40 per cent of the nation seeks education in Chinese or Tamil for their young, a responsive school system should provide it; unfortunately, most “national” schools do not. Had Chinese classes been available in the national primary school I attended, I would have signed up for them. We can dispose of fluffy subjects virtually everyone acknowledges to be useless, such as “moral education”, if necessary to make time for language classes. Making mother tongue education widely available in national schools would make them truly national, responding to the needs of almost half the nation.

Improving the administration of national schools would also make them more attractive to non-Malays frightened by the spectre of Muslim fundamentalism or racist extremism. The government must duly punish school administrators and teachers who do not respect cultural sensitivities or pursue policies catering to only one community, rather than closing one eye. The whole culture of the system has to change, to one of respect and tolerance from one of bigotry and ignorance; only then can we truly call it a national school system.

Last but not least, educational standards have to go up. The sad fact is that teachers in vernacular schools often seem more motivated than those in national schools; there is a quality of teaching that cannot easily be found in national schools. (Let’s leave questions of curricula and exam-orientation out of the picture for now.) National schools must prove their worth in terms of preparing primary school students for secondary education and beyond.

In the long run, a system predicated on segregation, even if the segregation is voluntary, cannot work; it encourages sticking to one’s own ethnic group. The differences are stark when you enter secondary school; national school students and vernacular school students mix in very different cliques. The national school students inevitably have a more diverse group of friends – one more reflective of Malaysian society as a whole – because they simply grew up that way. The more diverse their primary school was, the more diverse their secondary school friends are. The trends continue well into college, university and beyond; racial polarisation among those from Malay “national” schools, Chinese schools and Tamil schools is patently obvious, while those happy few who attended truly national schools maintain a much broader set of friends.

If we want to address the problem of racial polarisation, the solution lies in making our school system truly national, rather than a patchwork of schools, some of which reflect the nation’s diversity, but most catering to only one community. Not too long ago, surveys indicated that almost half the nation have never eaten together with someone of a different race. In my national school, we sat down to eat every recess with friends from other races; I had Malay and Indian friends in my home for my birthday parties, and they reciprocated with invitations to their own homes. How many Malaysians can truly say the same? Certainly not more than half. How can we ever hope to call ourselves a nation when our very school system persists in dividing us from young, setting the pattern for the rest of our lives? It’s time for a change.

Going to Same School

Kali ini kami terbitkan beberapa penulisan e-patriot yang ada kaitan dengan perkara Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS), termasuk laporan berita Bernama diatas pendapat Tun Dr Mahathir, bertajuk “To Be Malaysian, We Must Go To The Same School”.

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1. Dari BERNAMA

November 03, 2009 23:47 PM

To Be Malaysian, We Must Go To The Same School – Tun Dr Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 (Bernama) — To become a Malaysian, one must at least go to the same school, said former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said a single stream school was an ideal system practised by other countries in the world.

“Well, I think that is an ideal system…no country in the world has got three streams…none…all the countries in the world have got only one stream each based on their own language.

“You can have some schools (of other stream) but the general education must be in one stream,” he told reporters after launching Rhythm of the 21st Century – Monologues of Raja Shahriman which showcased the latest artworks of Malaysia’s contemporary sculptor Raja Shahriman Raja Aziddin at Galeri Petronas, here Tuesday.

However, Dr Mahathir said in this country, you could not even talk about it because the Chinese educationists were very vehement that their children must be like Chinese.

“The Chinese educationists do not even want Chinese children to be near Malay children.. they mustn’t get into contact with Malay children… that is why they rejected our vision school,” he said.

However, he said it was bad to remain completely separate to the point where you did not allow your children to mix with other children of other races.

“We are very free, we allow you to retain your name, you culture, your religion but to be a malaysian, we must at least go to the same school,” he said.

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2. Dari blog Dari Kacamata Melayu

Jumaat, 2009 Disember 25
Satu Sekolah Semua: Lee Kuan Yew ngaku polisi dwibahasa gagal

SIngapura sering diguna pihak cauvanis CIna sebagai model negara maju, tetapi negara yang 75% kaum Cina pun tidak mengamalkan sistem sekolah vernakular. Malah Lee Kuan Yew sendiri memperakui sistem dwibahasa melibatkan bahasa CIna yang dijalankan di Singapura pun tidak berjaya.

Baca artikel berikut:

Anguish over bilingualism

INSIGHT DOWN SOUTH
By SEAH CHIANG NEE

There’s renewed debate over the decades-old language grind after surprising remarks by the architect of the republic’s bilingual education policy.

FOUR decades of bilingual education have been shaken up by its architect Lee Kuan Yew, who now says it was a mistake from the beginning.

In a rare self-criticism, the 86-year-old Minister Mentor blamed it on his own ignorance in thinking that people could easily master two languages.

It showed a side of him that Singaporeans rarely get to see or hear – expressing contrition in such harsh tones about himself for something he did four decades ago.

Over state TV, he said recently that he was “wrong” to have insisted on the bilingual policy, which was launched in 1966.

“At first I thought, you can master two languages. Maybe different intelligence, you master it at different levels,” he said, but after 40 years of learning it, he was convinced otherwise.

“We started the wrong way,” said Lee. “We insisted on ting xie (listening), mo xie (dictation) – madness!

“Nobody can master two languages at the same level. If (you think) you can, you’re deceiving yourself.”

As a result, Lee added: “Successive generations of students paid a heavy price, because of my ignorance, by my insistence on bilingualism.”

It was as close to a public apology as Singaporeans are likely to get.

Most observers saw it as his retraction of a major strategy that he introduced for his multiracial people. The republic’s bilingual system is watched with interest by many multiracial countries in Asia.

Under the system, aimed at bonding races and cultures, English is taught to all — but ethnic Chinese, Malay and Indian students need a mandatory pass in their own mother tongue.

The rationale is simple and logical. Singaporeans can communicate with each other, and the outside world, in English, as well as use it to earn a living. At home, however, they are encouraged to speak their mother tongue.

For the Malays and Indians, learning Bahasa Melayu and Tamil has not been too difficult, but among Chinese who hail from English-speaking homes, passing – let alone mastering – Chinese, a totally dissimilar language, is very tough.

Lee’s remarks were immediately taken by many Singaporeans as an indication that the government plans to do away with the policy.

This is unlikely to happen, particularly with the emerging economic power of China and Singapore wanting to serve as a bridge between Beijing and the West.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong quickly put paid to that speculation, saying: “To put it very simply, we are affirming our bilingualism policy. We have never wavered in this fundamental…”

However, PM Lee said, “We are in a dynamic situation because the position is changing, and we have been updating our policies progressively.” Lee Senior put the future this way: “It doesn’t matter what level (of Chinese) they reach, they will like the language, it is fun, and later on in life they’ll use it.”

The study of Chinese has undergone changes since 2004 that make the process less torturous for English-speaking Chinese.

The aim is for the average Chinese here to continue to be bilingual in English and Chinese, but without forcing him to master Chinese as well as English.

Those with higher abilities to do so could choose a fast and higher Chinese language track. Some have been sent to top universities in China.

The change of mind may have come too late for the hundreds of thousands who have gone through the language grind in the past four decades.

Many of them had adopted the attitude of just doing enough to pass exams, realising they wouldn’t need to use it for much of their working lives.

One out of four people surveyed said they considered it unnecessary to learn Chinese in this global world, where even the Chinese themselves are flocking to learn English.

A former Singapore scholar recently blogged: “I am a typical byproduct of Singapore: a Chinese who can speak Mandarin, passed Mandarin classes but can still barely read and write the language well enough to be considered proficient.

“Technically I am illiterate,” he declared. “And, while that may not speak for all of us, there are sufficient numbers to justify the label ‘typical’”. The worst cases are the talented children who fared so miserably in Mandarin that they had to continue their studies abroad.

An early casualty of Singapore’s bilingualism was the Golden Girl of swimming, Junie Sng, who won 10 gold medals in the 1983 SEA Games, compared to nine four years earlier.

Her English-speaking parents migrated to Australia, where she now resides. The Chinese language dilemma has contributed to Singapore’s brain drain.

Every year, about 1,000 bright students join the immigration outflow, including a fair number who want to escape the exam requirements.

In 1989, a Singaporean mother, Pauline Tan, wrote a passionate letter to The Straits Times criticising the way Chinese was being taught.

She said her Primary 3 son was having suicidal thoughts because he hated having to study Chinese every day. “He was constantly ridiculed and scolded by his Chinese teacher. He felt ashamed and shunned his classmates.

“He found Chinese boring. It is spelling, dictation, writing, tests and more spelling, dictation, writing and tests,” she said. Finally she and her husband migrated to Australia “to spare our kid further misery with Chinese.”

Today, her son – aged 29 – is an IT specialist, while his younger brother is doing his doctorate in mathematics at Oxford University.

It is partly such losses that have forced Singapore to import talent from abroad – and probably explains Lee’s feeling of anguish.

Source: The Star, December 19th, 2009

Baca juga tulisan blog Bonjour Planet Earth bertajuk Singapore icon Lee Kuan Yew admits that bilinguism policy in education was a serious mistake….

Apa lagi Dong Zong mahu guna sebagai hujah jika tidak sikap racis cauvanis dan keengganan berintegrasi sebagai 1Malaysia.

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3. Dari Malaysian News Blog

Sekolah Satu Aliran – Memanglah Ada Yang Tak Setuju!
Posted by admin on November 1st, 2009

Saya setuju dengan pendapat tokoh sejarah dan akademik Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Khoo Kay Kim dalam wawancara dengan NTV7 malam semalam mengenai cadangan beliau mengadakan Sekolah Satu Aliran dan respon yang diberikan oleh Perdana Menteri dan Timbalannya. Menurut Prof., jika hendak ditanya akan pendapat orang ramai mengenai perkara ini – tentulah ada yang akan menentang; ada yang tak setuju dengan cadangan ini (terutamanya golongan ahli-ahli politik). Lantaran itu niat murni akan tidak tercapai dan hanya tinggal sebagai cadangan sahaja. Beliau menyarankan kerajaan mengambil sikap seperti kerajaan Singapura yang melaksanakan sahaja sistem satu aliran ini agar dapat memupuk perpaduan yang lebih erat dikalangan masyarakat berbilang bangsa di Malaysia.

Tambah beliau lagi, perlaksanaan Sistem Sekolah Satu Aliran ini tidak akan menjejaskan kanak-kanak sekolah yang sedia ada kerana jika dibuat ia pastinya tidak melibatkan kanaka-kanak yang sudah ada di dalam sekolah di waktu ini. Ia seharusnya dimulakan pada kanak-kanak yang baru mahu bersekolah agar satu generasi baru dapat dibentuk di masa akan datang yang bersifat 1Malaysia.

Isu sekolah satu aliran memang amat menarik dan sensitif. Namun semua pihak harus bersifat terbuka dalam membincangkannya. Janganlah ianya dikaitkan dengan soal perkauman pula. Ingat, yang ingin kita selaraskan adalah penggunaan bahasa kebangsaan dan kebudayaan kebangsaan dan BUKANNYA budaya kaum atau etnik tertentu. Kita bukannya menyuruh rakyat mengunakan bahasa Jawa atau Bugis atau dialek negeri masing-masing; kita juga bukan melarang penggunaan dan pembelajaran bahasa ibunda masing-masing. Yang kita mahu adalah rakyat Malaysia mempunyai identiti tersendiri dan bangga menjadi rakyat Malaysia dan fasih menggunakan bahasa kebangsaan.

Tan Sri Khoo Kay Kim ketika mencadankan Sistem Satu Aliran ini pernah berkata sistem pendidikan yang mengamalkan sekolah pelbagai aliran ketika ini tidak membantu rakyat menyelami makna sebenar gagasan itu. Katanya sejak dari kecil lagi rakyat sudah diasingkan mengikut aliran dan bahasa ibunda masing-masing dan apabila dewasa, semangat kerjasama dan persefahaman sukar untuk dijalinkan.

“Kita tidak perlu kepada sekolah yang banyak aliran, bahasa ibunda setiap kaum boleh diselitkan sebagai sebahagian daripada kurikulum di bilik darjah. Mengikut sejarah, British membenarkan penubuhan sekolah pelbagai bahasa di Tanah Melayu kerana kebanyakan pendatang ketika itu tidak mempunyai niat untuk menetap di negara ini. Jadi, British benarkan mereka membuka sekolah menggunakan bahasa ibunda masing-masing supaya mereka dapat belajar mengenai negara sendiri. Bagaimanapun, sistem ini tidak lagi perlu diteruskan sekarang kerana mereka sudah menjadi warga negara Malaysia dan perlu dididik supaya menerima negara ini dan masyarakat berbilang kaum yang ada di sini sebagai sebahagian daripada diri mereka,” – Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Khoo Kay Kim

Tan Sri Khoo juga berkata kebanyakan rakyat negara ini tidak tahu dan tidak memahami sejarah negara sehingga menyebabkan mereka berfikiran secara sempit. Menurutnya ada segelintir ahli politik yang lebih mengutamakan kepentingan diri dan agenda masing-masing berbanding matlamat utama negara bangsa.

“Ada ahli politik kita yang tidak mahu berintegrasi dan lebih suka kepada pemisahan, dan lihatlah bagaimana negara kucar-kacir kerana adanya ahli politik yang tidak mengutamakan negara bangsa tetapi lebih kepada agenda sendiri,”

Mungkin Prof., mereka yang menentang ini terdiri dari mereka yang masih berfikiran seperti kebanyakan pendatang dulu, iaitu – tidak mempunyai niat untuk menetap di negara ini.

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Foot in the Mouth Disease: The Chronic Case of Nazri Aziz

Sin Chew Daily sought the opinion of and exploited the statements made by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz on 29 December 2009 that he “is against the proposal for single stream school system as ‘we cannot force other (non-Malay) races to sacrifice their characteristics and become Malays (Malaynised)‘”.

We must make it clear to all parties concerned, including the Minister, that the Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS) or single-stream school system that we propose does not call for, or has any element of forcing other races “to sacrifice their characteristics and become Malays or Malaynised”.

We are surprised that the Minister chose to state his position of being against the single-stream school system when the Minister of Education-cum-Deputy Prime Minister has not announced the Government’s stand on the matter. In fact, we are astounded that the Minister chose to use words like “force” or “sacrifice their (non-Malays’) characteristics” or “become Malays“. We seriously wonder what he was thinking – if he was thinking – when he said those.  The seriousness becomes acute considering that the Minister is a lawyer.

We also wonder if the Minister had read sufficiently about the single-stream school system, the rationale for proposing such a system, the relationship of the system with Article 152 of the Constitution on the position of Bahasa Malaysia as the National Language. Or, if he has read the details of the SSS Proposal. These are all given in simple language in our FAQs Sheet in this Kempen SSS blog.

SSS is about the use of Bahasa Malaysia as the medium of instruction in schools, in line with Article 152. We believe those who raised the matter and discussed it in Parliament some time back are thinking along the same line as we do.

The vernacular schools should use BM as the medium of instruction. Such schools can continue to exist physically but have BM as the medium of instruction and the same curriculum and syllabus as the national schools. Mandarin and Tamil can be taught in all such schools as “elective subjects” and such schools can be absorbed into the national schools system. It’s utterly irresponsible to talk about ”forcing others to give up their own languages.“

The objective of single-stream schooling or SSS is to bring about a sense of togetherness, common identity, hopes and aspirations, beginning from the very young. These are extremely important for fostering unity, a sense of belonging, loyalty and patriotism among Malaysians, beginning with children at their formative ages.

The Sin Chew report says that Nazri said the government cannot compel all the races to learn only Bahasa Malaysia, forcing the non-Malays to give up their own languages. This is a totally skewed perception of the single-stream or SSS system. If the words used are not exactly those of the Minister, then it would have been a mischievous and irresponsible reporting and news publication.  Nobody asks - and it is inconceivable that anybody does – ask the Government to “compel all races to learn only BM and forcing the non-Malays to give up their own languages.”

Siri e-Patriots In Support of SSS – No. 2

Kali ini kami mengeluarkan petikan-petikan dari artikel-artikel yang ditulis oleh seorang lagi patriot penyokong cadangan Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS) yang diambil dari senarai e-Patriots in Support iaitu blog Satira Rakyat Biasa. Penulis blog tersebut telah menulisnya dalam empat bahagian dalam tempoh satu bulan, bermula 19 Oktober hingga 19 November 2009. Pengunjung boleh rujuk artikel-artikel asal di blog Satira Rakyat Biasa.

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[TULISAN INI UNTUK MENYATAKAN SOKONGAN KEPADA KEMPEN SATU SEKOLAH UNTUK SEMUA]( http://satusekolahuntuksemua.wordpress.com )

 1. SISTEM PERSEKOLAHAN SATU ALIRAN KEBANGSAAN

19 Oktober 2009

Masalah perpaduan kaum di Malaysia tidak mungkin selesai selagi Kerajaan yang memerintah masih tidak merdeka dan tegas. Penyatuan dan perpaduan ini adalah perkara yang serius serta menuntut ketegasan malah tiada kompromi di dalam beberapa hal dan harus ditangani dengan praktikal oleh semua kerajaan di dunia. Perkara ini akan hanya lebih memudaratkan jika hanya dipolitikkan.

Kita tidak boleh mengatakan perpaduan ini wujud hanya dengan melihat senario politik semasa di Malaysia. Ini kerana perpaduan kaum dalam parti politik hanyalah untuk menjaga kepentingan kuasa dan jaminan matlamat individu sahaja. Begitulah sebaliknya jika ada perpecahan dan perbalahan dalam parti. Hanyalah masalah perbezaan ideologi ahli politik itu sendiri.

Kita bicara tentang perpaduan kaum yg sebenar! Realiti! Yang merentasi dogma politik jahanam mereka ini! Tentang rakyat! Bukan hanya dengan kata-kata manis, tipu daya, lakonan. Meraih simpati dan undi, manipulasi dan memperbodohkan rakyat untuk matlamat dan nafsu politik mereka. Tidak mengira ahli parti politik apa dan PARTI mana! Sama sahaja hanya hipokrit bila bicara tentang perpaduan kaum ini. Antara mekanisma yang paling praktikal dan efektif untuk penyelesaian masalah perpaduan ini adalah dengan mewujudkan SISTEM PERSEKOLAHAN SATU ALIRAN KEBANGSAAN sahaja. Tegas tanpa kompromi! Untuk negara! Demi Malaysia tercinta! Satu sistem persekolahan dan satu bahasa untuk semua anak-anak Malaysia.

Siapakah dan apakah misi, muslihat dan rahsia mereka yg berkeras malah bermati-matian menolak sistem sekolah satu aliran ini? Apa masalahnya? Apa yang ditakutkan sangat dengan Bahasa Kebangsaan ni? Bahasa Melayu adalah Bahasa Kebangsaan untuk semua rakyat. Bukan untuk Melayu sahaja. Cina, India dan semua warganegara. Jangan nafikan fakta ini! Jangan main politik sempit dan tolol anda di sini.

Inilah satu-satunya sistem persekolahan yang mewujudkan perpaduan kaum bermula dari zaman persekolahan lagi, bersatu aman makmur tanpa batasan kaum, membentuk jati diri dan kecintaan terhadap negara serta mereka inilah bakal-bakal pemimpin Malaysia yang sejati dan berkualiti yang akan bersama sama menjaga kedaulatan negara disamping mengangkat bahasa dan bangsa Malaysia itu sendiri.

Marilah semua rakyat tidak kira siapa atau apa pekerjaan serta taraf anda, fikirkan perkara ini setelus-tulusnya tanpa prejudis. Saya tegaskan disini bahawa ini bukan suara sumbang yang berbau perkauman, provokasi, anti dan hasutan. Suara ini untuk MALAYSIA.

Suara ini untuk KEPENTINGAN dan KEDAULATAN NEGARA.

 

2. SATU SEKOLAH UNTUK SEMUA (Bahagian 2)

20 Oktober 2009

Kita boleh lihat beberapa elemen tidak sihat dan menjadi ancaman kepada perpaduan malah kedaulatan negara itu sendiri. Ianya disemai secara tidak langsung di dalam diri pelajar-pelajar di sekolah jenis perkauman ini. Antara yang ketaranya mereka warga pendatang samada dari Cina atau India dahulunya masih tiada jati diri sebagai Malaysian, walaupun setelah 52 tahun kita merdeka. Mereka ini masih kuat malah makin tebal semangat kebangsaan negara-negara asal usul mereka. Masih belum bersedia menjadi Malaysian agaknya. Dan generasi-generasi baru mereka pun dikekalkan semangat perkauman itu.

Seharusnya mereka ini serapkan pada generasi baru mereka untuk BERIBUNDAKAN Malaysia. Bukan mewariskan semangat kolot perkauman dan kelirukan mereka sehingga menganggap China atau India sebagai IBUNDA. Mereka adalah Malaysian yang berketurunan Cina atau India bukan lagi rakyat Tanah Besar China atau India seperti datuk nenek moyang mereka. Nampak tak kekeliruan di sini? Kekeliruan inilah antara sebab mereka tolak sistem persekolahan dalam satu bahasa kebangsaan Malaysia (bahasa ibunda SEMUA rakyat Malaysia tidak mengira kaum) kerana masih anggap bahasa ibunda mereka bahasa China dan Tamil. Disinilah ketegasan Kerajaan dituntut untuk hentikan dan sedarkan mereka ini dari kekolotan dan kebodohan kesilapan identiti ini.

Kekeliruan inilah antara penyebab rakyat berbilang kaum di malaysia bagaikan hidup berpuak-puak dalam dunia perkauman masing-masing dan berperang dingin antara mereka. Dipropaganda-propaganda pula dengan iklan-iklan hari perayaan, iklan Hari Merdeka dan iklan-iklan kempen Kerajaan yang menunjukan betapa majmuknya Malaysia ini kononnya, maka tiadalah usaha untuk perbetulkan hakikat sebenarnya. Kita kena realistik untuk akui Malaysia tidak semajmuk yang digambarkan. Kucar-kacir. Perang dingin!

Ini bukan provokasi atau hasutan. Sudah tiba masa untuk berubah. Berani untuk berubah. Bukan hanya dengan berani menolak sama sekali politik berasaskan kaum tetapi inilah masa untuk menolak semua sekolah jenis kebangsaan yang berasaskan satu-satu bangsa sahaja malah apa sahaja pertubuhan serta anasir-anasir yang menjadi punca utama kepada masalah perpaduan kaum di Malaysia selama ini harus ditolak sama sekali sebelum ianya semakin parah dan sukar untuk dibendung untuk lahirkan bangsa Malaysia yang kuat dan gemilang di mata dunia.

Bangkitlah Kerajaan sebagai Kerajaan yang merdeka!

 

3. SISTEM PERSEKOLAHAN SATU ALIRAN KEBANGSAAN (Bahagian 3)

19 November 2009

Kekeliruan identiti bangsa-bangsa pendatang ini (Cina, India dan lain-lain) secara tidak langsung menyebabkan mereka merasakan bangsa mereka telah didiskriminasi oleh Kerajaan dan orang Melayu. Kononnya hak mereka dinafikan di negara ini. Mereka sebenarnya membuat tuduhan yang tidak bertanggungjawab itu untuk menutup kesombongan mereka sendiri. Hakikat sebenar bangsa-bangsa ini sendiri mendiskriminasi dan menafikan hak-hak mereka sebagai warganegara. Kita ambil satu contoh sahaja. Mengapa mereka menafikan hak sebagai warganegara dengan secara terangan tidak menerima Bahasa Malaysia sebagai Bahasa Kebangsaan? Mengapa mendiskriminasikannya? Selagi mentaliti bangsa-bangsa pendatang ini tidak berubah mereka tidak layak sama sekali mempersoalkan tentang hak!

Saya juga tertarik tentang kenyataan seorang ADUN berketurunan India dari Pulau Pinang yang saya baca di akhbar sebuah parti politik. Beliau mendakwa bangsa bukan Melayu didiskriminasi hak untuk bekerja di sektor Kerajaan. Malah borang mereka diabaikan. ADUN ini mungkin tidak menerima realiti bahawa majoriti bangsa mereka memang tidak layak untuk berkhidmat di Jabatan. Ini kerana bekerja di Jabatan Kerajaan memerlukan penguasaan Bahasa Kebangsaan yang baik. Kita semua pasti pernah mengalami peristiwa betapa celarunya budak keturunan India atau Cina memberitahu kita aturan pengambilan ubat dari farmasi-farmasi, klinik-klinik Kerajaan. Entah apa-apa yang ingin diberitahu dan disampaikan. Kasihan dan amat memalukan. Masih wujud lagi di Malaysia warganegaranya tidak boleh bertutur dengan baik dalam bahasa kebangsaannya sendiri. Tergagap-gagap, berpeluh-peluh. Jabatan-Jabatan lain pun alami masaalah yang sama. Macam mana hendak berkhidmat. Masih tidak sedar apa masalahnya? Masih tidak mahu berubah? Masih tidak sedar diri wahai ADUN?

Apa yang menggelikan hati lagi adalah bila bangsa-bangsa ini ingin menarafkan diri mereka setaraf  BARRACK OBAMA. Kononnya Malaysia perlu mencontohi Amerika Syarikat mengiktiraf presiden tanpa mengira batasan bangsa dan warna kulit. Realitinya, sebelum Malaysia mencontohi Amerika Syarikat, bangsa-bangsa pendatang ini yang seharusnya terlebih dahulu mencontohi BARRACK OBAMA. Cerminkan apakah bangsa anda setaraf dengan OBAMA.

- Keturunan Cina dan India di Malaysia langsung tidak ada jati diri sebagai Malaysian seperti mana Obama yang kuat jati diri Americannya.

- Obama boleh menguasai bahasa kebangsaan negaranya sendiri tidak seperti Cina dan India Malaysia yang masih ditahap yang sangat memalukan dalam menguasai Bahasa Kebangsaan negara mereka sendiri.

- Obama tidak mungkin akan mewujudkan SEKOLAH JENIS KEBANGSAAN AFRIKA di Amerika seperti bangsa Cina dan India di Malaysia yang masih kolot dan menuntut Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina dan India terus ditambah.

Banyak lagi sebenarnya perbezaan antara mereka ini. Majoritinya perbezaan yang negatif. Ini bukan suara sumbang yang anti kaum. Inilah REALITI. Mustahil bagi OBAMA untuk dapat jawatan Presiden Amerika seandainya beliau memiliki MENTALITI YANG SAMA SEPERTI CINA DAN INDIA DI MALAYSIA dan begitulah juga untuk Cina dan India dan lain-lain bangsa di Malaysia yang berhajat untuk menjadi PERDANA MENTERI. MUSTAHIL!! KATAKAN TIDAK!!

Selagi mentaliti bangsa-bangsa pendatang ini tidak diubah, selagi mereka tidak berani dan tidak mahu berubah, semua itu mustahil.

BERUBAHLAH UNTUK MALAYSIA!

 

4. SISTEM PERSEKOLAHAN SATU ALIRAN (Bahagian 4)

19 November 2009

Akhir sekali kita lihat pula masalah penguasaan Bahasa Kebangsaan ini di peringkat kepimpinan. Bagaimana kita ingin melihat masalah ini selesai jika pemimpin-pemimpin dari kalangan bangsa pendatang ini sendiri tidak boleh bertutur dalam Bahasa Kebangsaan. Kita ambil contoh di Parlimen. Bakal Perdana Menteri Malaysia yang ke-6 YB Lim Kit Siang (abaikan!) serta Menteri-Menteri dan Timbalan-Timbalan Menteri dari parti BN, Ahli-Ahli Parlimen dari Pakatan Rakyat dan BN berketurunan Cina dan India dan lain-lain terkial-kial berbahas di Dewan. Sungguh menyedihkan keadaanya apabila mereka yang berjawatan Menteri dan Timbalan, YB-YB, Senator-Senator atau apa-apa sahaja gelaran mereka pun termasuk yang veteran, muda belia, gemuk dan kurus juga tidak dapat bertutur dan memahami Bahasa Kebangsaan. Kita sememangnya maklum bahawa sesi perbahasan di Dewan Rakyat menggunakan Bahasa Kebangsaan. Apakah mereka-mereka ini dapat diharapkan untuk membawa atau membahaskan suara rakyat di Parlimen jika membaca teks yang disediakan pun tergagap-gagap? Mereka tidak langsung mempunyai rasa hormat terhadap kedaulatan Bahasa Malaysia. Apatah lagi untuk menghormati dan menjaga kedaulatan negara. Pendapat saya mereka ini langsung tidak layak untuk menjadi wakil-wakil rakyat atau menyertai tampuk pemerintahan.

Tahap yang paling menggila dan memang sukar untuk saya terima adalah dengan kenyataan YB Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong dalam New Sunday Time bertarikh 30 Okt 2008 tentang kertas peperiksaan SPM untuk subjek Lukisan perlu diterjemahkan ke dalam bahasa Cina dan Tamil. Ini kerana puluhan sekolah di Melaka yang pelajarnya yang berketurunan Cina dan India tidak dapat memahami soalan dalam Bahasa Kebangsaan. Apa dungu sangat mereka semua ini? Inilah kualiti pelajar yang dihasilkan dari Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan samada Cina atau India. Mereka Inilah bakal-bakal pemimpin Malaysia akan datang. Apakah satu masa nanti sesi persidangan di Parlimen yang mulia akan bersidang dalam tiga bahasa? Ini adalah satu penghinaan dan menjatuhkan martabat Bahasa Kebangsaan.

Akhir sekali ingin lagi saya tegaskan ini bukan suara sumbang berbaur perkauman, hasutan dan niat provokasi. Cuma satu harapan untuk melihat Malaysia tercinta mencapai kemakmuran dan perpaduan kaum yang sejati. Merentasi batasan bangsa bersama-sama mengangkat dan mendaulatkan Malaysia. Semoga Kerajaan yang kita hormati dan miliki hari ini dan untuk masa depan merupakan sebuah Kerajaan yang merdeka, berani, tegas, bermaruah, hebat di mata dunia dan tidak mungkin tunduk pada tekanan atau desakan dari mana-mana pihak serta terus teguh berdiri menjaga dan mempertahan kedaulatan AGAMA, NEGARA dan BANGSA MALAYSIA

‘Gerakan Razak’ dilancar – Sultan Kedah

[Artikel bertajuk Semarakkan 'Gerakan Razak' diterbitkan kali pertama dalam Utusan Malaysia pada 19 November 2009]

 

Semarakkan ‘Gerakan Razak’

Oleh: BAKHARI ARIFF*

KETIKA berucap pada majlis konvokesyen ke-22 Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) awal bulan lalu, Sultan Kedah, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah mencadangkan agar dilancarkan “Gerakan Razak”. Ia untuk menggerakkan perubahan sosial, seperti apa yang pernah berlaku ketika Tun Abdul Razak Hussein menjadi Menteri Pelajaran dan seterusnya Perdana Menteri.

Tun Razak pernah melancarkan “gerakan lampu suluh” atau “gerakan obor” iaitu bancian dan gerakan besar-besaran untuk memastikan semua kanak-kanak bersekolah.

Beliau melihat betapa perlunya pendidikan untuk menghasilkan generasi yang bersatu padu melalui Penyata Razak 1956. Beliau juga menggerakkan “kelas dewasa” bagi membasmi buta huruf.

Walaupun hasrat itu tidak sepenuhnya berjaya kerana mendapat tentangan ekstremis kaum, namun kewujudan sekolah kebangsaan telah menghasilkan majoriti rakyat berpendidikan kebangsaan.

Gerakan itu masih berkumandang sekarang dan begitu meriah dalam blog dengan gerakan dinamakan “Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua – Satu Bahasa, Satu Bangsa, Satu Negara”. Namun hasrat itu tidak menampakkan kejayaan kerana turut ditentang hebat.

Tun Razak juga melancarkan gerakan tuisyen besar-besar melalui Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS) agar anakanak bangsa tidak lagi tercicir akibat kelemahan sistem sekolah pada awal kemerdekaan.

Apabila melihat bangsa Melayu tercicir jauh dan boleh menyebabkan pergaduhan kaum akibat pengagihan ekonomi tidak seimbang, Tun Razak menggerakkan penubuhan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) pada 1970.

Canselor pertama UKM ialah Tun Razak walaupun biasanya canselor di IPTA terdiri daripada Sultan atau Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Sultan Abdul Halim ternyata memahami bahawa bangsa hanya akan menjadi kuat menerusi penguasaan ilmu.

Baginda mahukan semua pihak termasuk pemimpin UMNO dan Pas berganding bahu atau menganjurkan pelbagai kursus, tuisyen, motivasi dan kelas bimbingan untuk anak-anak bangsa.

“Pada pendapat beta, visi Allahyarham Tun Abdul Razak sangat ke depan. Beliau mahu semua rakyat mendapat pendidikan yang lebih tinggi.

“Sehubungan itu, beta ingin menamakan gerakan baru untuk memastikan seluruh rakyat mendapat pendidikan tinggi ini sebagai ‘Gerakan Razak’ mengambil sempena arkitek pembangunan bangsa Malaysia,” titah baginda.

Mantan Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad ketika pelancaran buku Amanat Presiden UMNO di Kuala Lumpur barubaru ini, mengimbas pengalaman dan sumbangan setiap perdana menteri. Namun beliau lebih cenderung menghuraikan sumbangan Tun Razak berbanding yang lain.

Ini kerana dalam tempoh singkat sebagai perdana menteri, Tun Razak melakukan banyak perkara luar biasa.

Ramai pengamat politik berpendapat, Tun Razak dan Dr. Mahathir tidak jauh berbeza daripada segi ciri-ciri personaliti.

Kedua-duanya boleh memberi tumpuan kepada sesuatu secara terperinci, sentiasa mempunyai idea, tahu dan berani melaksanakan sesuatu, walaupun idea bersifat radikal relatif kepada zaman berkenaan.

“Pentadbiran Tun Razak boleh dianggap titik permulaan pembangunan ekonomi, khususnya di kalangan bumiputera. Beliau mampu berbuat demikian kerana membuka ruang untuk cendekiawan pada zamannya mengemukakan idea dan sesetengahnya diminta melakukan kajian terperinci dan hasil kajian dijadikan asas untuk bertindak,” kata seorang pemerhati politik, Prof. Rahman Aziz.

Malah, Tunku Abdul Rahman ketika menceritakan mengenai Tun Razak antara lain berkata, beliau sebagai Perdana Menteri beruntung kerana mempunyai “Tun Razak” tetapi Tun Razak sedikit malang kerana tidak mempunyai “Tun Razak” ketika menjadi perdana menteri.

Bakri Musa (www.bakrimusa.blogspot.com) mengkritik hampir semua Perdana Menteri, tetapi menganggap Tun Razak sebagai “idola dan hero” kerana sumbangan yang bermakna kepada diri, keluarga dan seluruh bangsa Malaysia.

Beliau berkata, Tun Razak lebih awal melihat betapa pentingnya tumpuan kepada pembinaan rakyat berkualiti yang diperlihatkan melalui komitmennya kepada pembangunan luar bandar dan pendidikan.

Barangkali Tun Razak pernah terlatih dalam dunia tentera yang menyebabkan beliau cenderung memilih cara ala tentera dalam melaksanakan sesuatu program. Dan beliau menyempurnakan matlamat melalui pelbagai strategi sama ada secara halus (seperti melalui perang psikologi) dan terbuka (dengan memperlihatkan kepada khalayak melalui media).

Kejayaan sebagai Pengarah Majlis Gerakan Negara (Mageran) ketika Malaysia dihadapkan dengan krisis perkauman ekoran pilihan raya 1969 membuktikan cara operasi “gerakan” boleh menjayakan sesuatu program.

Tun Razak bukan hanya mempunyai idea (sama ada dari diri sendiri atau nasihat) dan ada pelbagai program, bahkan tahu cara bagaimana melaksanakannya.

Bagaimanapun, ketika Tun Razak tidak mempunyai cukup masa untuk melaksanakan pelbagai program bagi memartabatkan bangsa Malaysia dengan mengamati pelaksanaan secara terperinci, sesetengah pemimpin pelajar waktu itu, khususnya yang pandai berpidato, memilih untuk mengadakan siri demonstrasi jalanan.

‘Peperangan’ tercetus di antara mereka yang hanya pandai bercakap dan kadangkala boleh memetik satu dua ayat tokoh falsafah walaupun tidak memahaminya serta hanya tahu menganjur demonstrasi dengan “mereka yang beridea dan tahu melaksanakan idea berkenaan”.

Berbeza dengan pemimpin yang hanya tahu mencetuskan retorik, Tun Razak – sama ciri dengan Dr. Mahathir – merupakan individu yang sanggup dan mampu melaksanakan sesuatu bagi membantu orang Melayu. Pada masa yang sama, turut membantu menyeimbangkan kedudukan kaum di negara ini.

Ketika kedudukan ekonomi orang Melayu hanya sekitar dua peratus pada tahun 1970, Tun Razak melancarkan Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB) melalui pelbagai program praktikal yang menguntungkan Melayu sebagai penduduk asal negara ini. Pada masa yang sama beliau berusaha memperbesarkan kek ekonomi yang menguntungkan semua pihak.

Tanpa bercakap berdegar-degar, Dr. Mahathir yang terlatih dengan cara kepimpinan politik oleh Tun Razak ketika awal menjadi perdana menteri, telah menubuhkan HICOM untuk membuat kereta sendiri, Proton.

Walaupun ekonomis seperti Prof Dr. Jomo Sundram mengkritik hebat, pertimbangan Dr. Mahathir bukan hanya daripada segi ekonomi pada pandangan ahli akademik, tetapi melihat secara lebih jauh dan luas iaitu untuk membiasakan bangsa Malaysia dengan teknologi enjin. Perkara ini telah didedahkan oleh Dr. Mahathir kepada Naib Canselor UUM, Tan Sri Nordin Kardi.

Jika sebelum itu hampir tidak ada penjual dan mekanik Melayu, tetapi kesan adanya Proton, bengkel kereta dan penjual kereta kini lebih kelihatan menyeluruh di kalangan kaum, mencerminkan populasi rakyat.

Retorik selalu lebih menarik dan lebih mudah dilafazkan berbanding usaha melaksanakan sesuatu program pembangunan. Ini kerana retorik tidak semestinya bersandarkan realiti. Misalnya, mudah sahaja dikatakan kemiskinan dan kejatuhan harga getah di Baling, Kedah menyebabkan beberapa petani mati kebuluran.

Tan Sri Zainudin Maidin dalam Mingguan Malaysia menulis mengenai bagaimana mereka yang gemar beretorik pada zaman Tun Razak hanya bercakap dalam usaha memanipulasi masyarakat. Khususnya di kalangan mahasiswa dan sehingga kini masih ramai yang menjadikan mereka itu sebagai hero.

Inilah sebabnya, Sultan Abdul Halim yang menjadi Agong ketika awal pentadbiran Tun Razak, mahukan “Gerakan Razak” disemarakkan.

Jika pun tidak dilakukan sama seperti Tun Razak, slogan 1Malaysia ketika ini mesti diterjemahkan melalui pelbagai program. Pelaksanaannya perlu diawasi secara serius. Jika tidak, slogan ini hanya akan tinggal sebagai slogan dan tidak lebih daripada sekuntum bunga plastik.

Rasanya lebih manis jika “Gerakan Razak” ini disemarakkan dengan usaha anak sulung Tun Razak sendiri!

*Penulis ialah staf di Institut Pemikiran Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad (IPDM), Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).

Siri Artikel Pilihan e-Patriot Kempen SSS – 1

[Artikel di bawah ini diterbitkan kali pertama oleh blog tun faisal dot com pada 7 November 2009 dan diterbit semula di Portal Kempen SSS dengan kebenaran penulis asal]

Merealisasikan Idea Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua

Oleh: Tun Faisal Ismail bin Aziz (tunfaisal@yahoo.com)

Rata-rata ramai yang menyambut baik idea Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS) kerana hasratnya mulia, iaitu untuk meningkatkan perpaduan dalam kalangan masyarakat Bangsa Malaysia dan amat selari dengan hasrat 1Malaysia yang digagaskan oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak.

Pakar Sejarah Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Kim, misalnya menyifatkan sistem persekolahan pelbagai aliran ini sebagai tinggalan penjajah dan tidak lagi sesuai untuk dikekalkan sekiranya matlamat 1Malaysia ingin dicapai. Menurut beliau pihak British membenarkan kaum imigran membuka sekolah mereka sendiri kerana mereka tidak bercadang untuk menetap di negara ini.

Aktivis SSS pula menyifatkan kewujudan Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (SJK) sebagai bertentangan dengan peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan berkaitan status Bahasa Melayu sebagai Bahasa Kebangsaan yang mesti digunakan sebagai bahasa rasmi. SSS juga berpandangan bahawa bahasa Mandarin bukan bahasa ibunda kaum Cina di Malaysia, sebaliknya bahasa kebangsaan Negara China, manakala bahasa Tamil pula bukan bahasa ibunda masyarakat India di negara ini, sebaliknya merupakan bahasa rasmi Tamil Nadu.

Bagi mereka yang menentang hasrat SSS ini, penentangan mereka adalah kerana mereka mahu mempertahankan sistem persekolahan, kebudayaan dan bahasa yang dianggap sebagai bahasa Ibunda kaum mereka di negara ini. Ada juga yang menentang atas dasar pendemokrasian pendidikan, di mana ia membenarkan ibu bapa membuat pilihan.

Khoo Kay Kim tepat menyatakan bahawa pendirian asal British membenarkan sekolah kaum imigran adalah kerana berpandangan mereka tidak mahu menetap di negara ini. Disebabkan itu pendirian ini berubah dalam Laporan Barnes 1951 yang mencadangkan hanya dua jenis sekolah ditubuhkan, iaitu aliran kebangsaan dan dwi-bahasa. Begitu pun Laporan Fenn-Wu 1952 mencadangkan agar aliran vernakular ini dikekalkan.

Penyata Razak 1956 telah mengambil jalan tengah dan terwujudlah satu sistem pendidikan atas dasar kompromi. Walaupun begitu matlamat Penyata Razak ini amat jelas, iaitu untuk menyatukan anak-anak berlainan kaum di bawah satu sistem pendidikan (dan sukatan pelajaran), iaitu sistem pendidikan kebangsaan dan menggunakan bahasa kebangsaan sebagai pengantar. Selepas 52 tahun merdeka hari ini dilihat sistem persekolahan pelbagai aliran ini kurang berkesan dalam membentuk perpaduan yang kukuh dalam masyarakat dan disebabkan itu gerakan SSS ini dimulakan.

Pastinya gerakan SSS ini akan menyentuh sensitiviti golongan tertentu. Disebabkan itu Datuk Seri Najib mengingatkan bahawa tujuan untuk mewujudkan sistem persekolahan aliran ini amat bagus kerana matlamatnya untuk mengukuhkan perpaduan, tetapi ia tidak bermakna sekiranya ia menimbulkan ketegangan kaum.

Ingatan Perdana Menteri ini betul, tapi jika matlamatnya mulia dan majoriti rakyat menyambutnya dengan baik, maka tidak salah untuk kita memikirkan jalan untuk merealisasikannya lebih-lebih lagi ketika ini majoriti anak-anak kita berada di Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK), iaitu sekitar 75 peratus di sekolah rendah dan 86 peratus di sekolah menengah. Mungkin sedikit lagi kesungguhan diperlukan untuk menjadikan sekitar 25 peratus lagi murid di sekolah rendah dan 14 peratus lagi di sekolah menengah berada dalam hanya satu aliran persekolahan.

Jika kita bercakap tentang pendemokrasian pendidikan, kita memahami kenapa setiap pihak tidak mahu mengalah dan mahukan yang paling ekstrem untuk aliran persekolahan yang mereka kehendaki. Bagaimanapun, adakah kita mahu kompromikan matlamat kenegaraan? Akhirnya, hanya yang sanggup berkorban atau yang tidak mampu sahaja yang akan berada dalam sistem kebangsaan.

Terdapat beberapa kaedah yang sedang dipraktikkan oleh Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia (KPM) dalam Pelan Induk Pembangunan Pendidikan (PIPP) 2006 – 2010 bagi memupuk perpaduan melalui sistem pendidikan.

Pertama, melalui kaedah memujuk melalui Teras Memperkasa Sekolah Kebangsaan. Ini merupakan pendekatan lama, yang diberi nafas baru dan dijadikan lebih berfokus berbanding pendekatan lama. Dalam teras ini, usaha ditumpukan untuk meningkatkan daya tarikan SK melalui penambahbaikan infrastruktur, penawaran program yang menepati keinginan ibu bapa seperti bahasa Cina dan bahasa Tamil, penawaran program Jawi, al-Quran, bahasa Arab dan Fardu Ain (j-QAF), penambahbaikan program dan kurikulum seperti pengajaran Bahasa Inggeris, meningkatkan kualiti dan keupayaan pentadbir sekolah dan guru, membangunkan budaya cemerlang dan menjadikan SK lebih beraspirasi nasional.

Kedua, melalui program-program yang dapat memupuk perpaduan seperti Rancangan Integrasi Murid Untuk Perpaduan (RIMUP) bagi kelompok-kelompok sekolah yang didominasikan oleh satu kaum.

Namun kaedah ini dianggap satu kaedah yang kurang radikal, kurang efektif dan mempunyai pelbagai masalah pelaksanaan. Misalnya, RIMUP kelihatan kurang menyerlah tahun ini, kemungkinan kefahaman dan kesungguhan mengenainya semakin menurun di kalangan warga KPM.

Justeru mungkin satu kaedah yang lebih radikal diperlukan.

Salah satu kaedah yang pernah digunakan dulu tetapi tidak diteruskan adalah pembangunan Sekolah Wawasan. Ia tidak diteruskan dalam PIPP kerana tidak ada kesungguhan dari pihak yang mempertahankan SJKC. Terdapat enam buah Sekolah Wawasan, bagaimanapun hanya satu sahaja yang melibatkan ketiga-tiga jenis sekolah. Bakinya hanya melibatkan SK dan SJKT.

Kaedah kedua yang pernah digunakan dan amat berkesan adalah dengan meminda Akta Pendidikan, misalnya pindaan yang dibuat dalam Akta Pendidikan 1991 yang menjadikan semua sekolah menengah berstatus SK. Begitu pun usaha ini hanya dapat dilaksanakan di peringkat menengah dan tidak dapat dilaksanakan di peringkat rendah kerana terdapat banyak tentangan.

Kaedah yang belum pernah dicuba adalah untuk menetapkan road-map dan sasaran untuk menukar status SJK kepada SK menjelang tahun sasaran tertentu terutamanya SJK yang sudah semakin hilang tarikan, terlalu dhaif dan berstatus Sekolah Kurang Murid (SKM). Dimaklumkan terdapat sekitar 36 peratus atau 460 buah SJKC yang berstatus SKM dan 66 buah daripadanya berada di dalam bandar. Dikatakan juga, berbanding SJKC, lebih banyak SJKT yang berstatus SKM ini. Ini terpakai untuk sekolah vernakular yang lain juga.

Jika ini merupakan sasarannya, maka perlu ada kesungguhan politik dari segi pertama, untuk menghentikan sebarang permintaan untuk menambah jumlah sekolah vernakular; kedua, permintaan menggantikan sekolah vernakular yang bertaraf SKM dan tiada tarikan. Ketiganya, perlu ada kesungguhan untuk meningkatkan kualiti SK yang berada dalam kawasan yang mempunyai populasi campuran.

Mampukah ia dilaksanakan atau mahukah kita melaksanakannya?

Tiada Alasan Munasabah Bagi Tidak Melaksanakan SSS / No Valid Reason For Not Implementing SSS

[English language version appears below the BM version]

Tiada Alasan Munasabah Bagi Tidak Melaksanakan SSS

Perbincangan mengenai sekolah satu aliran di Parlimen baru-baru ini, galakan Timbalan Perdana Menteri merangkap Menteri Pelajaran supaya perbincangan-perbincangan tersebut diteruskan di lain-lain tempat, dan jemputan Perdana Menteri kepada rakyat untuk memberi pandangan dan cadangan di laman citranya, 1Malaysia – semua ini memberi harapan positif kepada cadangan Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS).

Sebenarnya, tidak ada sebab yang munasabah bagi tidak melaksanakan SSS. Hujah-hujah yang biasa dikemukakan adalah:

1. Perlembagaan jelas menyatakan bahawa Bahasa Malaysia adalah Bahasa Kebangsaan negara ini, oleh itu semua sekolah-sekolah patut menggunakannya sebagai bahasa pengantar.

2. Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SRJKC) menggunakan Bahasa Mandarin sebagai bahasa pengantar; Mandarin adalah bahasa rasmi Republik Rakyat China dan bukan pula bahasa ibunda kaum Cina di Malaysia. Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil (SRJKT) menggunakan bahasa Tamil, bahasa rasmi negeri Tamil Nadu di India.

3. Pendaftaran di sekolah-sekolah vernakular jarang sekali menggambarkan kepelbagaian kaum, oleh itu suasana di sekolah-sekolah seperti ini tidak mendorong menyemai semangat hidup bersama dan perasaan bersatu padu di kalangan murid-murid di lingkungan umur yang membentuk minda dan pendirian.

4. Pada tahun 2008, Timbalan Menteri Pelajaran telah mengumumkan hasil kajian yang dilakukan MCA dengan kerjasama Kementerian Pelajaran yang menunjukkan 25 % pelajar SJKC berhenti sekolah atau keciciran (drop out) sebelum peringkat SPM. Ini membayangkan kecacatan sistem SJKC. Manakala, hampir tiada keciciran atau drop out di sekolah kebangsaan.

Pihak-pihak yang tidak setuju dengan SSS telah cuba memberi hujah-hujah yang tidak relevan dengan perkara yang dicadangkan, yang tidak patut dikaitkan dengan Kempen SSS, seperti:

1. Sekolah Kebangsaan juga dikatakan ada kecacatan dan kelemahan. Ini sudah tentu adalah hanya suatu alasan untuk meneruskan kewujudan sekolah vernakular, mengalih perhatian daripada isu sebenar bahawa sekolah seperti itu tidak mengeluarkan kanak-kanak yang dilatih di dalam suasana kepelbagaian kaum supaya mereka boleh secara semulajadi, senang dan cekap bercampur dengan kaum lain di masa berikutnya.

2. Polarisasi kaum yang semakin meningkat kononnya berpunca daripada dasar-dasar Kerajaan seperti Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB). Pihak-pihak ini, yang kebanyakannya, jika tidak hampir kesemuanya, kaum bukan Melayu, sama ada tidak mengetahui atau menutup mata terhadap fakta bahawa DEB dilaksanakan berdasarkan kepada Kedudukan Istimewa Melayu. Kedudukan Istimewa ini adalah balasan kepada hak kerakyatan kaum bukan Melayu yang tidak mempunyai kerakyatan sejak lebih 100 tahun lalu, termasuk semasa pemerintahan penjajah British di Malaya. Kedudukan Istimewa Melayu dan kerakyatan bukan Melayu menjadi apa yang dikenali sebagai Kontrak Sosial di antara pemimpin di zaman kemerdekaan, dan telah termaktub di dalam Perlembagaan Negara. DEB juga memberi faedah kepada kaum Bumiputera lain selain dari Melayu.

3. Golongan pengkritik ini juga menimbulkan isu sekolah-sekolah dan institusi pelajaran Melayu seperti MRSM dan UiTM. Sekali lagi mereka menutup mata, dan mesti diingatkan dari masa ke masa, bahawa itu semua adalah sebahagian daripada DEB yang timbul dari Kedudukan Istimewa Melayu yang tertulis di dalam Perlembagaan. Mereka juga perlu diberi tahu berulang kali bahawa, akibat permerintahan penjajah British, kaum Melayu ketinggalan jauh di belakang bukan sahaja dalam bidang ekonomi tetapi juga dalam bidang pendidikan.

4. Mereka juga bercakap berkenaan konsep kononnya “Malaysian Malaysia” yang dikarang oleh si chauvinis Lee Kuan Yew dan Parti Tindakan Rakyat (PAP) semasa mereka berada dalam Malaysia 1963-65, kemudian dipungut oleh Parti Tindakan Demokratik  (DAP), serpihan PAP selepas Lee Kuan Yew dan Singapura ditendang keluar dari Malaysia dalam tahun 1965. Golongan seperti ini mesti diperingatkan sepanjang masa apa yang dikatakan Tun Dr. Mahathir, bahawa tidak mungkin ada kesamarataan apabila ada Artikel 153 di dalam Perlembagaan yang memperuntukkan Kedudukan Istimewa Melayu. Golongan ini perlu diberitahu berulang kali bahawa Kedudukan Istimewa Melayu adalah galang ganti atau sebagai balasan kepada kaum Melayu menyetujui perkara hak kerakyatan mereka.

Sekarang, bercakap berkenaan aspek politiknya, Dato’ Sri Najib harus mendekati perkara ini dengan berhati-hati. Beliau walau bagaimanapun telah mengatakan isu ini terserah kepada orang ramai, atau rakyat. Apa yang kita risaukan sekarang adalah bagaimana beliau akan menentukan apa yang rakyat mahukan.

Sudah tentu berbagai jenis memorandum, laporan-laporan, syor-syor, bantahan-bantahan dan sebagainya yang panjang berjela-jela akan dikemukakan kepada Perdana Menteri. Apa kriteria akan digunakannya, apa ukuran atau sukatan bagi sokongan atau bantahan kepada persekolahan satu aliran atau cadangan SSS yang boleh dikatakan sah baginya menggunakannya?

Sudah tentulah sukar untuk menentukannya. Tidak dapat dibayangkan kemungkinan mengikut jumlah laporan-laporan atau memorandum yang diterima sahaja. Begitu juga jika mengikut jumlah orang yang laporan-laporan dan memorandum itu wakili. Sungutan dan ketidakpuasan hati akan tercetus jika cara-cara tersebut digunakan. Justeru, masalah sistem pendidikan negara selama 52 tahun itu akan berterusan tidak diselesaikan. Beliau tidak boleh membiarkan keadaan sebegini. Beliau ada peluang untuk mendapat markah tinggi sekarang. Dato’ Sri Najib boleh meninggalkan warisan atau legasi yang amat besar jika beliau selesaikan dan mengambil tindakan terakhir di atas masalah lama ini buat selama-lamanya. Namanya akan dinukil dalam sejarah berlainan dari yang lain. Namanya akan dikaitkan dengan pembawaan keamanan dan keharmonian selama-lamanya di dalam negara ini melalui SSS.

Perdana Menteri telah berkata ini bergantung kepada rakyat. Sekarang tinggal hanya soal bagaimana cara menentukannya. Dato’ Sri Najib mesti menggunakan kaedah yang jelas dan telus bagi menafsir kemahuan rakyat. Kaedah biasa adalah melalui pilihanraya. Tetapi soal ini tidak memerlukan mandat sebegitu rupa. Beliau boleh memperoleh mandat yang cukup melalui kaedah referandum. Selamat baginya dari segi politik dan selamat dari segi keselamatan negara jika diaturkan di peringkat kebangsaan, dilaksanakan hampir seperti pilihanraya, dengan
persediaan keselamatan dan pengawalan undang-undang dan arahan yang secukupnya.

Kerajaan boleh menyediakan minda rakyat berkenaan penggunaan referendum sebagai satu cara bagi menyelesaikan kontroversi-kontroversi di atas isu yang amat mustahak ini dengan menggunakan sumber-sumber Kementerian Penerangan dan Multimedia yang amat luas.

Referandum telah digunakkan di negara-negara maju di merata dunia bagi menentukan pemilihan rakyat di atas isu-isu kontroversi tetapi amat penting. Referandum akan menyelesaikan kontroversi-kontroversi seperti itu. Ianya memberikan Kerajaan mandat untuk mengambil tindakan khas ke atas perkara-perkara yang referendum itu dilakukan. Tiada parti politik atau kumpulan-kumpulan berkepentingan boleh mengkritik secara berjustifikasi dasar Kerajaan yang dilaksanakan berdasarkan referendum. Ringkasnya, referandum adalah kaedah paling demokratik untuk mengawal kritikan terhadap isu kontroversi dan menghalang kritikan yang baharu di atas tindakan-tindakan dasar yang timbul darinya.

Marilah kita menggesa Perdana Menteri Dato’ Sri Najib supaya mempertimbangkan dengan sepenuhnya perkara mengadakan referendum ke atas cadangan SSS ini. Mustahaknya persepaduan negara dan keamanan yang berpanjangan, yang boleh dicapai melalui SSS jauh melebihi kos melakukan referendum. Tiada alasan yang munasabah untuk tidak melaksanakan SSS, dan sebaliknya ada sebab-sebab yang munasabah untuk menentukan kehendak rakyat terhadap perkara itu secara referandum.

*************

[English language version is as follows]

No Valid Reason For Not Implementing SSS

The recent discussion on the single-stream schooling system in Parliament, the encouragement by the Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Education to continue such discussions elsewhere, the invitation by the Prime Minister to the public to give their views and suggestions to his 1Malaysia blog – all these provide cautious optimism for the prospect of the Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS) proposal.

There really is no valid reason for the SSS proposal not being implemented. The standard arguments have been:

1. The Constitution states that Bahasa Malaysia is the national language of the country and therefore all schools should have it as the medium of instruction

2. Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SRJKC) uses Mandarin as the medium of instruction; Mandarin is the official language of the People’s Republic of China and is not even the mother tongue of the Chinese. Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil (SRJKT) uses Tamil which is the official language of Tamil Nadu in India.

3. Enrolment at these vernacular schools is hardly multi-racial and therefore the atmosphere in such schools is not conducive to fostering a spirit of togetherness and a sense of unity among children at their formative age. Whereas there has been practically no drop out from national schools.

4. The Deputy Minister of Education announced in 2008 that a study done by the MCA, with the co-operation of the Ministry of Education, shows that 25 % of those who had attended SRJKC dropped out of school before reaching the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) level. That suggests defects in the SJKC system.

The detractors of SSS have tried to put out arguments that are not relevant to the subject being proposed, that should not be linked to the SSS, such as:

1. The Sekolah Kebangsaan also has its defects and weaknesses. This, of course, is a mere attempt at justifying the vernacular schools’ existence, trying to divert attention from the real problem at hand, that such schools generally do not produce children trained in a multi-racial atmosphere so that they can be naturally at ease and adept at mixing with others at a later age.

2. The increasing racial polarisation has allegedly been due to bad Government policies such as the New Economic Policy (NEP). These detractors, who are mostly if not entirely non-Malays, are either ignorant of or choose to forget that the NEP was derived from the Special Position of the Malays. That Special Position was in exchange for the Malays agreeing to citizenship for the non-Malays who were stateless for over 100 years, including during British colonial rule, in Malaya. That Special Position of the Malays and the citizenship right of the non-Malays constitute what have been known as the Social Contract among the leaders at Merdeka, and are embodied in the Constitution of the country. The NEP also benefits Bumiputeras other than Malays.

3. The detractors also raise the issue of the special schools and educational institutions for the Malays, including MRSM, UiTM. Again, they choose to forget, and must be told time and again, that these schools are a part of the New Economic Policy which emanated from the Special Position of the Malays written in the Constitution. It needs to be pointed out to them repeatedly that, as a result of British colonial rule, the Malays were left far behind not only in the economic but also in the educational fields.

4. They also talk about equality and the so-called “Malaysian Malaysia” concept thought out by the chauvinistic Lee Kuan Yew and the People’s Action Party (PAP) when in Malaysia 1963-65, later picked up by the splinter party, Democratic Action Party (DAP) after Lee Kuan Yew and Singapore were kicked out of Malaysia in 1965. As for these
people, they need to be told endlessly what Tun Dr Mahathir has said, that there can never be equality when there is Article 153 of the Constitution which provides for the Special Position of the Malays. Likewise, they need to be told repeatedly that that was the quid pro quo, or in exchange for the Malays agreeing to their citizenship right.

Now, politically speaking, Dato’ Sri Najib has to approach the subject cautiously. He has, however, said that it is up to the people, the rakyat. What we are now concerned about is how he determines the will of the rakyat.

No doubt there will be multifarious and voluminous memoranda, reports, recommendations, objections and so on submitted to the Prime Minister. What criteria he will use, what yardstick or measure of the support for and the objection to the single-stream schooling or the SSS proposal that can said to be valid for him to use.

Naturally it will be difficult to determine. It’s inconceivable to go by the number of reports or memoranda received. Even by the number of people those reports or memoranda represent. Grumblings and dissatisfaction will abound if such methods are used. Then the 52 year-old problem with the country’s education system will continue to remain unsolved. That he must not allow. He has the opportunity to score big now. He can leave behind a huge legacy if he solves and settles this old problem once and for all. His name will go down in history like no other has. His will be about bringing lasting peace and harmony in this country through the SSS.

He has already said it’s up to the people. It’s now a only matter of how. Dato’ Sri Najib must use a transparent and discernible method of determining the will of the people. The usual method is through general elections. But this does not need such kind of a mandate. But he can get sufficient mandate by using the referendum method. It is safe for
him politically and safe for the country security-wise if organised on a national level, conducted almost like general elections, with adequate preparations for security and control of law and order.

The Government can prepare the minds of the people on the use of the referendum as a means to resolve controversies on this very important issue by the use of the vast resources of the Information and Multimedia Ministry.

Referenda has been used in democratic countries the world over to determine the people’s choice on controversial but very important issues. Referenda will put to rest such controversies. They give the Government the mandate to act specifically on the subjects the referenda are conducted. No party or group of people can justifiably criticise a Government policy that is implemented on the basis of a referendum. In short, a referendum is the most democratic way to rein in criticisms on a controversial issue and prevent new ones on policy actions arising from it.

Let us urge Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib to seriously consider holding a national referendum on the SSS proposal. The importance of national unity and lasting peace that can be achieved through the SSS far outweighs the cost of holding a referendum.There are no valid reasons not to implement the SSS and, conversely, there are valid reasons for determining the will of the people on that subject by the referendum way.

Kempen SSS diterima baik masyarakat Malaysia/ SSS campaign well accepted by the Malaysian public

*[English version is at the end of this article]

Kempen SSS diterima baik masyarakat Malaysia

Idea mewujudkan satu sistem persekolahan dengan memperkenalkan konsep Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS) semakin mendapat tempat dan dibincang secara meluas oleh segenap lapisan rakyat. Kami di Portal Kempen SSS melihat beberapa siri perbincangan yang berlaku pada masa ini sebagai sesuatu yang positif. Idea satu sistem persekolahan yang dicetuskan kembali oleh YB Datuk Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir di Parlimen ini pada mulanya pernah dikritik hebat. Malah, beliau diserang oleh pelbagai pihak sehinggakan ada yang menggesa agar beliau dikenakan tindakan atas tuduhan menghasut.

Cetusan Mukhriz ini disambut oleh citrawan KijangMas dari laman citra Demi Negara – dengan terbitnya sebuah artikel bertajuk “At last, someone with the testicular fortitude” pada 5 Disember 2008. Laman citra Demi Negara sebelum itu telah menerbitkan sebuah artikel berkaitan topik polarisasi kaum dan keperluan pembentukan Bangsa Malaysia yang bersatu padu melalui sebuah karya hebat yang kami di Kempen SSS anggap terbaik iaitu “Racial Polarisation and the Forging of Bangsa Malaysia” bertarikh 6 November 2008. Artikel ini berjaya menarik perbincangan yang positif dan sangat memberangsangkan dari segenap lapisan masyarakat.

Pada 12 Mei 2009, KijangMas bagi pihak Komuniti Citra Demi Negara telah memulakan inisiatif dengan pelancaran Kempen Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS). Kempen ini dilancar dengan disertakan bersama sebuah memorandum kepada YAB Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin merangkap Menteri Pelajaran Malaysia yang mana memorandum menggesa agar sistem pendidikan negara dikaji semula.

Sebuah petisyen atas-talian turut sama dilancar untuk mendapatkan penglibatan dan sokongan segenap lapisan masyarakat.  Kempen ini juga telah mencetuskan kemarahan sesetengah pihak, termasuklah Ketua Pemuda MCA yang mengancam mahu membuat laporan polis terhadap citrawan-citrawan yang menganjurkan kempen ini.

Kempen ini dilaksanakan dengan komited dan secara berterusan dengan munculnya Portal Kempen SSS ini pada 31 Ogos 2009 dengan artikel sulungnya bertajuk “The SSS Initiative Usaha Murni SSS“. Portal ini dibangunkan sebagai tapak kempen dan untuk menyediakan perincian dan juga sebarang penjelasan lanjut kepada para pengunjung berkenaan cadangan SSS. Portal Kempen SSS turut sama mengalu-alukan sebarang pertanyaan dan cadangan yang berkaitan.

Gesaan tokoh akademik seperti Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Khoo Kay Kim dan Portal Kempen SSS terhadap keperluan mewujudkan sistem satu aliran ini membuka ruang kepada masyarakat untuk bersuara dalam menentukan hala tuju sistem pendidikan tanahair tercinta. Usaha secara bersama oleh segenap masyarakat ini nampaknya semakin membuahkan hasil yang sangat positif.

Laporan BERNAMA pada 29 Oktober 2009 di bawah jelas menunjukkan bahawa usaha kita semua selama ini semakin diterima masyarakat dan perlu terus dibincang dan dilihat secara positif.

Muhyiddin Harap Isu Sekolah Satu Aliran Terus Dibincang

KOTA TINGGI, 29 Okt (Bernama) — Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin berkata perbincangan mengenai cadangan agar sekolah satu aliran dilaksanakan perlu diteruskan bagi mendapatkan gambaran yang lebih menyeluruh daripada semua pihak.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri berkata walaupun secara peribadi beliau bersetuju dengan sekolah satu sistem itu tetapi pada masa yang sama beliau faham bahawa daripada segi sejarah, sistem persekolahan negara ini mempunyai pelbagai aliran.

“Jika diikutkan fakta dalam Laporan Razak, itulah antara matlamatnya supaya kita ada satu sistem tetapi disebabkan keadaan dan sejarah, kita mempunyai sekolah pelbagai aliran.

“Soal ini adalah soal yang besar, jadi elok kita teruskan polemik perbincangan, biar kita mendapat gambaran yang jelas di peringkat pemimpin politik dan masyarakat,” katanya kepada pemberita pada majlis penyampaian Anugerah Ilham Desa Peringkat Kebangsaan 2009 di Kampung Mawai Baru Khamis.

Muhyiddin, yang juga Menteri Pelajaran, berkata demikian sebagai mengulas cadangan tersebut yang dikemukakan oleh tokoh akademik dan sejarawan negara Tan Sri Prof Khoo Kay Kim yang disokong oleh pemimpin politik termasuk daripada pembangkang.

Muhyiddin berkata beliau tidak menghalang jika terdapat badan-badan bukan kerajaan ingin mengadakan perbincangan mengenai sekolah satu sistem untuk mendapatkan gambaran yang menyeluruh.

“Biar kita mendapatkan gambaran yang menyeluruh dan bukan daripada satu pihak sahaja, sama ada Tionghua, India dan Melayu,” katanya.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri berkata sekolah satu sistem itu adalah selaras dengan gagasan 1Malaysia.

 

*[English version]

SSS Campaign well accepted by the Malaysian public

The idea of having a single stream system with the introduction of the Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS) or One School for All’s concept has been recognized and widely debated by the public, from all walks of life.  It was something that we, at the SSS Portal considered as a positive development. The idea which was re-suggested by YB Datuk Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir was once heavily criticized and also labeled as seditious by many. Worse, the Government had been urged by certain quarters to take a stern action against him.

Later, the One School System idea was taken up by the blogger, KijangMas from the blog, Demi Negara (DN). Hence, the article “At last, someone with the testicular fortitude” was born on the 5^th December 2008. Before that, the blog Demi Negara had published an article about racial polarization and the need to build a Bangsa Malaysia that is united. This article which we, in SSS Portal considered as the best article is entitled “Racial Polarisation and the Forging of Bangsa Malaysia” was published on the 6^th November 2008. This article had successfully brought in comments and lively discussions from Malaysians from all walks of life.

On the 12^thMay 2009, on behalf of the DN Community, KijangMas had initiated the SSS Campaign – Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua. This campaign was launched with an enclosed memorandum for the YAB Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who is also the Minister of Education. The memorandum states clearly that the country’s education system should be reviewed.

An online petition was also launched to spearhead this campaign and to get the support of Malaysians from all walks of life. This triggered off a threat by the MCA Youth leader who wanted to make a police report against the SSS initiators and bloggers.

The launching of the SSS Portal on the 31^st August 2009 with its first article entitled “The SSS Initiative -  Usaha Murni SSS” has proven that this is a committed campaign and on-going. This Portal was created as a launching ground for the campaign where further information pertaining to the SSS can be found. The Portal also accepts comments, questions and suggestions from the public with regards to SSS.

The timely call by a well known academician, Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Khoo Kay Kim and the SSS Portal Campaign towards the necessity in having a One School System gives some kind of a ‘voice’ to the public in deciding the direction of the education system in our beloved country. The efforts by the entities seem to bear its fruits in a very positive way.

The BERNAMA article below, which is dated 29^th October 2009, states clearly that the Malaysian public are warming up more and more towards this idea of having a One School System.

Muhyiddin Harap Isu Sekolah Satu Aliran Terus Dibincang

 KOTA TINGGI, 29 Okt (Bernama) — Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin berkata perbincangan mengenai cadangan agar sekolah satu aliran dilaksanakan perlu diteruskan bagi mendapatkan gambaran yang lebih menyeluruh daripada semua pihak.

 Timbalan Perdana Menteri berkata walaupun secara peribadi beliau bersetuju dengan sekolah satu sistem itu tetapi pada masa yang sama beliau faham bahawa daripada segi sejarah, sistem persekolahan negara ini mempunyai pelbagai aliran.

 ”Jika diikutkan fakta dalam Laporan Razak, itulah antara matlamatnya supaya kita ada satu sistem tetapi disebabkan keadaan dan sejarah, kita mempunyai sekolah pelbagai aliran.

 ”Soal ini adalah soal yang besar, jadi elok kita teruskan polemik perbincangan, biar kita mendapat gambaran yang jelas di peringkat pemimpin politik dan masyarakat,” katanya kepada pemberita pada majlis penyampaian Anugerah Ilham Desa Peringkat Kebangsaan 2009 di Kampung Mawai Baru Khamis.

 Muhyiddin, yang juga Menteri Pelajaran, berkata demikian sebagai mengulas cadangan tersebut yang dikemukakan oleh tokoh akademik dan sejarawan negara Tan Sri Prof Khoo Kay Kim yang disokong oleh pemimpin politik termasuk daripada pembangkang.

 Muhyiddin berkata beliau tidak menghalang jika terdapat badan-badan bukan kerajaan ingin mengadakan perbincangan mengenai sekolah satu sistem untuk mendapatkan gambaran yang menyeluruh.

 ”Biar kita mendapatkan gambaran yang menyeluruh dan bukan daripada satu pihak sahaja, sama ada Tionghua, India dan Melayu,” katanya.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri berkata sekolah satu sistem itu adalah selaras dengan gagasan 1Malaysia.

Demi Negara ! For The Nation !

“Melentur buluh biarlah dari rebungnya”, says a Malay proverb. Where else to start to build a strong nation if it is not the schools where the young minds are being moulded?KijangMas Perkasa, the Demi Negara blog owner, is one of the patriots who wrote blog articles, many on socio-politics subjects. The theme revolves around nation building. Now, have a thermal flask of hot coffee or tea, with some tidbits. Pour a cup, sit back and relax. Take your time to read his masterpiece here, “Racial Polarisation and the Forging of Bangsa Malaysia”. You will need a good 20-minute reading. Done? Your coffee is cold already and you have not even touched your tidbits! KijangMas Perkasa’s masterpiece above and this article about vernacular schools here, have inspired the Demi Negara Community to conceive and finally gave birth to this very own “Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS)” website you are now reading. Read how it started here. Read also how Wee Ka Siong, the Deputy Minister of Education himself, in the capacity of Pemuda MCA, threatened to lodge a police report against the promoters of SSS. He did not even know the word “gejala” that he objected to has more than one meaning. Well, he met his match, here. KijangMas Perkasa wrote this about SSS:- “Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua is the catalyst of this journey towards meaningful, cohesive nationhood, a key component of the blueprint of a raceless Malaysia that has been vigorously expounded in Demi Negara.” Pour another cup and go on to read more of his blog articles. Come back another day to finish them and don’t forget your hot coffee or tea and your favorite tidbits. In the interest of nation building, and how some “Malaysians” live their lives which may jeopardize the efforts in building this nation, you may want to read these further:- -          The National Language is being undermined, here and here. And what happened after much instigations? -          Utterly Anti-National! -          Aidil Fitri’s Open House is still ongoing. Thank God! So far, so good! Hope there is no more of these freaking manners! -          Who is RPK ? -          Malaysian Insider’s propaganda -          A plain conversation in our daily life of “kau tim” culture which may eventually destroy a nation. -          Religion and politics have not been spared too! -          So you like politics, huh? With an episode of maid abused? -          1-Malaysia? Let us ponder now on KijangMas Perkasa’s latest posting. It will just take a minute or two of your time, but it will leave you pondering long enough to realize what makes you a true Malaysian. “You really a MALAYSIAN ka ?” Read this, understand this and recite this over and over. May we all be true Warga Negara Malaysia:- “Di mana kaki berpijak di situ langit dijunjung”

Bak kata pepatah Melayu, “Melentur buluh biarlah dari rebungnya”. Di mana lagi kita hendak mulakan usaha-usaha membina sebuah Negara yang kukuh lagi bersatupadu jika tidak sejak dari bangku sekolah lagi, iaitu di mana pemikiran anak-anak kita mula dibentuk?KijangMas Perkasa, citrawan laman citra Demi Negara, adalah salah seorang Wira Negara yang menulis banyak artikel-artikel  mengenai sosio-politik. Tema penulisan beliau berkisar ke arah usaha-usaha membina Negara. Sekarang mari kita sediakan sebuah bekas untuk mengisi kopi ataupun teh panas, serta sedikit makanan ringan. Tuangkan secawan, mari kita duduk dan bersantai. Kita luangkan sedikit masa untuk membaca sebuah tulisan ulung beliau ini, “Polarisasi Kaum dan Pembentukan Bangsa Malaysia”. Anda memerlukan sekurang-kurangnya 20 minit untuk membacanya. Habis membacanya? Kopi anda telah sejuk dan anda belum pun lagi menyentuh makanan ringan anda! Tulisan ulung KijangMas Perkasa di atas dan juga artikel berkenaan sekolah-sekolah vernakular ini, telah mengilhamkan komuniti Demi Negara untuk mencerna dan akhirnya melahirkan laman citra “Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS)” yang sedang anda baca sekarang ini. Bagaimana SSS bermula. Bacalah juga bagaimana Wee Ka Siong, Timbalan Menteri Pelajaran sendiri, di atas kedudukannya sebagai Ketua Pemuda MCA, telah mengancam untuk membuat laporan polis terhadap penganjur SSS. Beliau tidak pun tahu akan makna dan penggunaan perkataan “gejala” yang disangkalnya. Akhirnya, beliau telah menemui lawannya di sini. Mengenai SSS, KijangMas Perkasa menulis (dialih bahasa):- “Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua merupakan satu pencetus dalam perjuangan untuk membentuk sebuah Negara bersatupadu yang penuh bermakna. Ianya merupakan suatu komponen asas kepada “blueprint” bagi menyediakan sebuah masyarakat Malaysia tanpa perasaan perkauman, yang sentiasa diperjuangkan dengan gigih di laman citra Demi Negara” “Minta lagi kopi sêcewãn!” dan mari kita terus membaca artikel-artikel beliau di laman citra tersebut. Kita luangkan lagi hari-hari selepas ini untuk menyudah membaca, tetapi jangan lupa secangkir kopi/teh panas beserta makanan ringan kegemaran anda. Demi semangat membina Negara, dan juga untuk menyelami bagaimana sebahagian dari yang dikatakan “rakyat Malaysia” telah menjalani kehidupan seharian mereka, anda mungkin berminat untuk selanjutnya membaca seperti yang berikut:- -          Bahasa kebangsaan telah diperkotak-katikkan. Baca di sini and di sini. Dan apa yang berlaku selepas perlakuan yang mencetuskan perasaan tidak senang hati itu? -          Sememangnya Anti-Nasional! -          Rumah Terbuka Aidil Fitri masih berlangsung. Syukur kerana setakat ini belum berlaku perkara-perkara yang tidak beradap ini. -          Siapa dia RPK ? -          Propaganda Malaysian Insider -          Perbualan biasa kita seharian mengenai budaya “kau tim”  yang sebenarnya boleh menghancurkan sebuah Negara sekiranya tidak dibendung dan diambil perhatian. -          Agama and politik juga tidak terlepas dari dipergunakan! -          Jadi anda suka kepada politik? Dengan sebuah episod  penganiayaan pembantu rumah ? -          1-Malaysia? Mari kita renungi muatan terkini dari KijangMas Perkasa di laman citra Demi Negara beliau. Ia hanya mengambil masa barang seminit dua untuk membacanya tetapi anda mungkin akan mengambil masa yang agak lama untuk menjawab persoalan tentang apakah yang membuatkan seseorang itu dikenali sebagai seorang warga negara Malaysia yang tulen. “Betulkah anda seorang warga Malaysia?” Baca pepatah ini, fahaminya dan lakukan berulang-ulang kali untuk menghayatinya. Semoga kita menjadi Warga Negara Malaysia yang sejati:- “Di mana kaki berpijak di situ langit dijunjung”

Salam Aidil Fitri

Kami di Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua, ingin mengambil kesempatan ini untuk mengucapkan kepada umat Islam dan juga seluruh rakyat Malaysia ucapan “Selamat Menyambut Hari Raya Aidil Fitri. Maaf Zahir dan Batin dari kami semua”.
We, at the Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua, wish the Muslims and all Malaysians “Selamat Menyambut Hari Raya Aidil Fitri. Maaf Zahir dan Batin dari kami semua”
In the spirit of the festivities during these Hari Raya holiday, we visit relatives and friends, traditionally ask for forgiveness and forgive others for acts and omissions, deliberate or unintended, foster the spirit of goodwill and understanding among Muslims, and extend them to non-Muslims as fellow citizens in this Country.   During our free time in between, or after completing all those, we may reflect and ponder on the status of our well being as a nation, the state of the relationship among us as members of various communities in this Country, and, in friendly and amiable conversations among us,  try to inject values that will help bring about greater understanding among one another and a resolve to be together in peace and prosperity for a long, long time to come. To help us in reflecting and pondering, we, on behalf of the authors, welcome you to visit several articles concerning national unity (which we are going to post in the near future, after the Hari Raya’s celebration), including those that have inspired the SSS Campaign and the setting up of this blog. Some of the views and method of presentation may appear provocative but they were designed not to offend but rather to jolt the minds and the consciousness of readers, Malaysians in general, to the problems at hand. Look at them from the positive angle, the cups or glasses that may be half full, rather than half empty!		Dengan semangat perayaan semasa cuti Hari Raya ini, kita menziarahi sanak saudara dan rakan taulan, secara tradisi kita saling bermaafan atas kesilapan yang dibuat secara sengaja atau tidak. Tradisi ini dapat menyemai sikap bertimbang rasa dan saling memahami di antara masyarakat sesama Islam dan juga bukan Islam di Negara ini.   Di kesibukan meraikan Hari Raya, elok kiranya kita meluangkan sedikit masa mengimbas kembali dengan merenung kesejahteraan dan keharmonian Negara kita, tahap perhubungan antara kita dalam komuniti yang pelbagai, dan cara kita berinteraksi antara satu sama lain. Kita bersama memupuk nilai yang dapat meningkatkan persefahaman antara kita agar dapat bersama dengan aman dan makmur, semoga ianya berkekalan selamanya. Untuk membantu kita mengimbas serta merenung perkara ini, kami bagi pihak pengarang, menjemput anda membaca beberapa artikel mengenai perpaduan nasional (bakal dimuatkan selepas sambutan Hari Raya). Ini termasuklah artikel-artikel yang telah memberi ilham kepada Kempen SSS sehingga lahirnya laman citra SSS. Mungkin sebahagian pandangan serta persembahan artikel-artikel nampak provokatif, tetapi ianya dilontar untuk menjolok minda serta membawa kesedaran, bukannya bertujuan menyinggung perasaan para pembaca berhubung permasalahan yang timbul di Negara kita secara amnya. Kita perlu melihat permasalahan ini dari sudut positif, air yang terisi dalam sebuah cawan atau gelas perlu dilihat separuh penuh, berbanding separuh kosong!

Hot Potato / Kentang Panas

The One School For All (Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua, SSS) Proposal came out of the realization that there is a strong need to unite all Malaysians, especially in the light of increasing racial polarization in the country. Many news items and comments in the mass media portray the widening gap of understanding among the various communities. The attitude and the mentality of the people have become increasingly opposed to one another as a result of the actions of one group that bring about dissatisfaction to another in recent times.   The aim of Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib’s 1Malaysia is clearly towards the unifying of Malaysians and the reduction in the disparity gap among various communities. But the methods of achieving that aim are not that clear yet. In fact, he himself has welcomed Malaysian citizens to give opinions and suggestions for his consideration by writing to his blog. This SSS Proposal is one that was conceived and discussed publicly in the Demi Negara blog. Although this Proposal is still at the discussion stage, it has received media coverage since the time of its pronouncement in May 2009.  Various statements have been made by several quarters, including the mass media, activists in the field of education, politicians, government leaders including the Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Education himself. We realize that the current political situation may be a stumbling block to our leaders to take positive action and pay serious attention on the SSS Proposal. It is suspected that the present Government leadership places more importance on votes from certain communities which are opposed to the SSS Proposal. Nevertheless, we are confident that there is a “silent majority” that wants the suggestions made in the SSS Proposal be acted upon by the leaders accordingly. The question is: “Has our political leaders, specifically the Minister of Education, the ‘political will’ to take the initiative in a firm and positive manner, in the interest of Bangsa Malaysia and the Nation, to achieve the dream of a strong and cohesive society that is reflected by the slogan ‘Satu Bahasa, Satu Bangsa, Satu Negara.”		Kempen Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS) ini lahir dari kesedaran betapa perlunya diadakan usaha-usaha untuk kembali menyatu padukan rakyat lebih-lebih lagi dalam keadaan polarisasi kaum di negara ini yang dikhuatiri kini semakin meningkat. Banyak berita dan komen di media massa yang membayangkan keadaan yang semakin meluasnya jurang persefahaman antara kaum. Pemikiran dan pendirian rakyat semakin bercanggah berikutan dengan tindakan-tindakan kumpulan tertentu yang membangkitkan perasaan tidak senang hati kepada kumpulan yang lain sejak kebelakangan ini.   Matlamat 1Malaysia Perdana Menteri, Dato’ Seri Najib, nyata berhaluan kepada penyatuan rakyat dan bertujuan untuk mengurangkan jurang perbezaan kaum. Tetapi cara-cara untuk mencapai matlamat itu masih belum begitu jelas lagi. Sememangnya beliau sendiri telah pun mempelawa rakyat untuk memberikan pendapat dan syor-syor untuk dipertimbang dan diteliti oleh beliau sendiri dengan menulis di blog 1Malaysia. Kempen SSS ini merupakan satu syor yang diilhamkan dan dibincang secara umum di laman citra Demi Negara. Walau pun cadangan SSS ini masih di peringkat perbincangan, namun ia telah mendapat liputan sejak dicetuskan pada Mei 2009. Terdapat beberapa kenyataan mengenainya telah pun dibuat oleh pelbagai pihak termasuk media massa, mereka-mereka yang bergiat di dalam bidang pendidikan, ahli-ahli politik, pemimpin-pemimpin kerajaan termasuk Timbalan Perdana Menteri merangkap Menteri Pelajaran sendiri. Kita sedar bahawa keadaan politik sekarang nampaknya agak menghalang para pemimpin untuk mengambil tindakan yang positif serta prihatin ke atas syor SSS ini. Adalah diprasangkakan bahawa pemimpin kerajaan sekarang ini lebih mementingkan undi dari kaum-kaum tertentu yang menentang syor SSS. Walau pun begitu, kami yakin terdapat golongan majoriti senyap yang mahukan saranan-saranan di dalam Kempen SSS ini diambil tindakan yang sewajarnya oleh pemimpin. Persoalannya: “Adakah pemimpin-pemimpin politik, khasnya Menteri Pelajaran, mempunyai keazaman politik untuk mengambil inisiatif yang positif serta tegas , demi bangsa Malaysia dan Negara, untuk mencapai impian sebuah negara yang teguh lagi bersatu padu yang dilambangkan oleh ungkapan “Satu Bahasa, Satu Bangsa, Satu Negara”.
Instilling goodwill and a spirit of togetherness should fittingly be done among children beginning from their days in school. The Malay proverb “Melentur buluh biarlah dari rebungnya” (literally: bending the bamboo should start from the shoot) reflects this. It is important to nourish the mind and guide the thinking of the children towards a sense of togetherness and genuine social cohesion in the interest of the Nation. For this the Government needs to appreciate the suggestions contained in the SSS Proposal and take steps to implement them. The leading suggestion in this Proposal is the carrying out of an in-depth study and recommendations on the existing education system, with the aim not just to produce intelligent and well informed pupils, but also to inculcate a sense of unity for the development of a cohesive and harmonious nation.   Towards that end, let us all contribute whatever within our means towards the efforts of building up our country. The least we could do is to give moral support to this Campaign by signing the SSS Petition. Additionally, we can ask family members and friends to do so. And we can help disseminate information on this Campaign as widely as possible.		Menyemai silaturrahim dan semangat bersatu padu sewajarnya dilakukan di kalangan kanak-kanak sejak di bangku sekolah rendah lagi bak kata pepatah, “Melentur buluh biarlah dari rebungnya”. Oleh kerana amat pentingnya untuk memupuk dan membimbing pemikiran serta pendirian kanak-kanak untuk mencapai persepaduan yang jitu di kalangan rakyat demi kemajuan negara, maka Kerajaan perlulah sedar betapa pentingnya syor-syor Kempen SSS ini diambil perhatian serius serta mengambil langkah-langkah proaktif untuk melaksanakannya. Syor utama Kempen SSS ini adalah supaya dilaksanakan suatu kajian mendalam terhadap sistem pendidikan negara dengan sasaran bukan hanya untuk melahirkan pelajar-pelajar pintar dan berpengetahuan, tetapi juga menyemai semangat kekitaan dalam membina negara yang bersatu padu serta harmoni.   Oleh itu, marilah sama-sama memberikan sumbangan termampu untuk sama-sama membina Negara. Sekurang-kurangnya setiap kita dapat menzahirkan sokongan terhadap Kempen ini dengan menandatangani petisyen SSS. Sebagai tambahan, kita boleh mempelawa keluarga dan rakan untuk turut sama memberi sokongan. Kita sebarkan maklumat Kempen ini seluas yang mungkin

The SSS Initiative Usaha Murni SSS

The Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS), or One School For All, is a proposal by the Demi Negara Blogging Community (DNBC) for bringing about national unity and the creation of a strong and cohesive Bangsa Malaysia.   The One School concept envisages all schools having the same medium of instruction viz Bahasa Malaysia (which is the Official Language of the country as stated in the Constitution), and the same curriculum for all. This is deemed necessary in order to bring about a sense of togetherness among school children and to counter the increasing racial polarisation noticeable in the country in recent times. The proposal is based on the belief that education plays an important role in achieving national unity and in creating the atmosphere for the emergence of a cohesive Bangsa Malaysia. The DNBC proposes that the Government carries out an in-depth study or review of the existing education system to find out its strengths and weaknesses, determine ways and means to rectify the weaknesses and carry out improvements, with a view to achieving the above-stated objective. A Memorandum containing that proposal was drafted for submission to the Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Education and a campaign was started to get public support for it. The SSS Campaign was launched on 12 May 2009 with the blog post by KijangMas in his Demi Negara blog. This campaign was also supported by leading bloggers like Jebat Must Die, Rocky’s Bru, The “thirteen million plus Ringgit” guy rambles, Nuraina A Samad, A Voice and others (as listed in the “e-Patriots In Support” tab). DNBC wish to record their appreciation to those who have signed the Petition in support of this campaign. DNBC would like to call upon other Warga Negara Malaysia to support this cause by signing the petition, here, Demi Bangsa dan Tanah Air tercinta. The DNBC is also calling for a national referendum on the SSS Proposal. It is believed that the majority of Malaysians support it but remain in the background thus far, as is often the case with “the silent majority”. A national referendum campaign, a little like general elections campaigns, would draw the public out to express their choice. The results would be a mandate for the Government to carry out any major changes that may be found necessary to be made in respect of the existing education system of the country. The SSS is not about depriving any group of citizens of their rights. It is about togetherness and about having a truly Malaysian identity whereby in time to come all Malaysians will no longer be identified by their ethnic origin, but by the terminology of “Bangsa Malaysia”. It is envisaged that when a truly cohesive Bangsa Malaysia has emerged all citizens would be known just by the words “Bangsa Malaysia”. The SSS is also not into abolishing mother tongue languages. The Memorandum, in fact, calls for the teaching of mother tongues as elective languages if so desired. English would be fortified under the SSS system. In general, the SSS campaign is aimed at the overhaul of  the whole education system in Malaysia for the sake of future generations in the country This SSS portal is designed to provide readers with details and further clarifications on the SSS Proposal. The DNBC welcomes any and all enquiries. We need to act in the interest of our children, grandchildren and those after them. We must have a united Malaysia with lasting peace and prosperity for future generations. The Demi Negara Blogging Community.

Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS) ialah satu cadangan oleh Komuniti Blog Demi Negara (KBDN) yang bertujuan mewujudkan perpaduan nasional dan pembentukan satu Bangsa Malaysia yang teguh dan bersepadu.   Melalui konsep Satu Sekolah, rakyat ingin melihat agar semua sekolah menggunakan bahasa pengantar utama iaitu Bahasa Malaysia (Bahasa Kebangsaan  seperti yang termaktub di dalam Perlembagaan) dan menggunakan kurikulum yang sama. Konsep in sangat bersesuaian untuk memupuk rasa keakraban dan kekitaan di kalangan kanak-kanak di sekolah dan seterusnya diharapkan dapat mengurangkan polarisasi kaum yang dilihat semakin meruncing dewasa ini. Cadangan ini adalah berdasarkan kepada kepercayaan bahawa pendidikan memainkan peranan yang amat penting bagi mencapai perpaduan nasional. Seterusnya, membentuk suasana Bangsa Malaysia yang akrab dan bersatupadu. KBDN menyarankan agar pihak kerajaaan menjalankan satu kajian yang mendalam terhadap sistem pendidikan semasa. Ini bertujuan untuk mencari kekuatan dan kelemahan sistem pendidikan yang sedia ada. Hasil kajian yang mendalam ini dapat dijadikan asas untuk menentukan kaedah dan cara untuk memperbaiki kelemahan dan menjalankan penambahbaikan demi mencapai objektif yang dinyatakan di atas. Satu memorandum mengandungi cadangan telah pun dirangka untuk diajukan kepada Timbalan Perdana Menteri merangkap Menteri Pelajaran dan satu kempen telah dimulakan untuk mendapatkan sokongan daripada orang ramai Kempen Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS) dilancar oleh citrawan KijangMas dari blog Demi Negara pada 12 May 2009. Kempen ini turut mendapat sokongan padu daripada para  citrawan terkenal seperti Jebat Must Die, Rocky’s Bru, The “thirteen million plus Ringgit” guy rambles, Nuraina A Samad, A Voice dan banyak lagi (rujuk senarai dalam tab “e-Patriot in Support”). KBDN turut mengambil kesempatan ini untuk merakamkan ucapan setinggi-tinggi penghargaan kepada semua Warga Negara Malaysia yang telah menyokong usaha murni ini dengan menandatangani Petisyen yang telah dilancarkan. KBDN menyeru seluruh Warga Negara Malaysia yang prihatin agar menyokong usaha ini dengan menurunkan tanda tangan di Petisyen, sini, Demi Bangsa dan Tanah Air tercinta. KBDN turut sama menggesa agar diadakan sebuah pungutan suara berkenaan cadangan SSS tersebut. Dipercayai bahawa majoriti rakyat Malaysia (majoriti senyap) menyokong usaha ini secara belakang tabir. Ianya sama seperti kes ‘majoriti senyap’. Kempen pungutan suara mirip kempen pilihanraya umum berupaya memberikan ruang kepada rakyat menyuarakan pilihan mereka. Keputusan yang diperolehi kelak akan memberikan mandat kepada kerajaan untuk melaksanakan sebarang perubahan besar dalam sistem pendidikan negara yang sedia ada. Kempen SSS bukan menghalang hak mana-mana kumpulan warganegara. Kempen SSS adalah berkenaan soal semangat kekitaan dan mewujudkan identiti Malaysia yang tulen di mana di masa hadapan tiada lagi rakyat Malaysia yang dikenali melalu etnik asal tetapi lebih kepada Bangsa Malaysia. Apabila persepaduan wujud di antara rakyat berbilang kaum, semua rakyat hanya dikenali melalui satu bangsa – “Bangsa Malaysia”. Kempen SSS juga sama sekali tidak berniat untuk menghapuskan sebarang bahasa ibunda yang ada. Malah memorandum yang dibuat turut menyarankan agar bahasa ibunda diajar sebagai mata pelajaran elektif (jika terdapat permintaan). Bahasa Inggeris pula akan diperkasakan di bawah sistem SSS ini. Umumnya, kempen SSS dilaksanakan bertujuan untuk merombak keseluruhan sistem pendidikan di Malaysia demi masa depan generasi akan datang. Laman ini dibangunkan untuk menyediakan perincian dan juga penjelasan lanjut kepada para pengunjung berkenaan cadangan SSS. Dengan itu, KBDN mengalu-alukan sebarang pertanyaan yang berkaitan. Kita perlu bertindak sewajarnya dengan melihat kepentingan anak-anak dan cucu-cicit kita. Sejujurnya, kita sangat memerlukan sebuah negara Malaysia yang bersatu, aman dan makmur demi generasi akan datang. Komuniti Blog Demi Negara