Chow Kon Yeow: 曹观友

“Malaysia faces brain leaks every day” sums up the message of the following e-mail from a young man to the DAP.

“I’m a formal student from a famous high school located in Bukit Mertajam..
Each year, my school has ‘produced’ a lot of excellent students and
intellectuals such as doctor, engineer, lawyer, etc, to the community and
nations. This year also same, my school has achieved a satisfying results in
both SPM and STPM. But sadly, among those ‘good’ students, more than half
wil persue their studies at private college, such as Inti, Nilai. After 1
year of study at those college, they will further their study at
outstation if their financial situation allow them to do so. It’s not only loss of
human resourse, it also caused a huge loss in term of money. Let’s say, if
a student spends RM200k to go australia, or canada, or else where. Imagine
how much it wil be if it is 1000 students a year? (more…)

The following e-mail was sent to DAP Malaysia. I have seen the Minister (mis)behaving in Parliament, whether as a Backbencher or a Minister. I am not surprised as he is capable of making such remarks.Another confirmation that Pak Lah’s Cabinet Ministers are half-past-six ministers.

“I am a Malaysian currently living in the USA. I am supporting the
education of my sister who is enrolled at CalPoly, California.

The reason I am writing this letter is to express my disgust and anger
regarding comments passed by the Minister of Science, Technology and
Innovation Jamaludin Jarjis during a working visit to California
recently.

He was present at a gathering organized by the Malaysian Consulate for the
students to meet him. The purpose of this meeting was for them to address
any concerns or queries they had. Being away from home, we all know that
we love to meet our fellow-countrymen regardless of what color or creed
they may be.

And being brought up in the true Malaysian way, we were taught to respect
each other and look beyond the shallowness of skin color.

This was not the case with our minister. He made several derogatory
remarks about Indians in general, about how they were brought in as
‘buruh kasar’ and at one point asked my sister about how many Indians
were in her batch of students.

My sister answered him saying there were two of them. The other Indian
student was fair-skinned and was actually sitting at the same table as
the minister.

He did not realize that this student was also an Indian and went on saying
that he must be a ‘high class’ Indian and then pointed at my sister and
said that she must be a ‘low class’ Indian as she was darker skinned.

I am appalled that we have people like this sitting at the helm and trying
to run a multi-racial country. I urge all Malaysian to stand together and
voice out against weeds like this who give our country a bad image.

I demand an apology from him and I want him to take responsibility for his
words and I believe that DAP is one of the venues to voice my
dissatisfaction.

S M, MD
New York.

How would Penang CM Koh Tsu Koon look if he goes bald? Maybe more gaya, maybe not. But that is not what we are interested.
Today’s newspapers reported that Tsu Koon was willing to shave his head bald if there is an individual who would want to donate RM 2 million for the Phor Tay Secondary School relocation fund-raising.
I was shocked to read this news in the evening edition last night. I was at a clan association dinner and I spoke against it during my speech.
Tsu Koon joined politics 26 years ago as a Chinese educationist with the mission “to join BN, to rectify BN from within” especially in education policies.
Tsu Koon should not go bald as his botak head would then become a symbol of his failure to rectify the BN after 26 years. Many would want the government to finance all schools including vernacular schools. But sad to say, the Chinese community is made to pay a second income tax (or education tax) to finance Chinese education.
Tsu Koon and many other BN Chinese leaders have by now given up their struggle for equal and fair treatment to the vernacular school system in this country.
Tsu Koon’s bald head would symbolize his failure as a politician, CM and Gerakan incoming President in championing Chinese education.
Tsu Koon, please use your head first before going bald.

I happened to see a catchy headline, Zai Qiong Ye Bu Neng Qiong Jiao Yu in one Chinese newspaper two days ago.

I think it can be roughly translated to mean “however poor we are, we must not sacrifice our education’s financial need”.

This phrase is often used to inspire the Chinese community to donate and contribute towards the development of Chinese education in Malaysia.

I would not be surprised if someone from the Chinese education movement has made this valiant call to the community to support fund-raising for a particular school.

Over the years, the community has contributed to the well-beings of so many Chinese primary schools throughout the country.

Although recognized as part of the mainstream education system, not all of the Chinese schools received full funding from the Education Ministry.

One educationist estimated that as much as RM100 million have to be collected yearly to support Chinese education in the country.

I am most surprised that Prime Minister Abdullah is making the appeal. Is he talking about Chinese education?

However, upon reading, I found that he was trying to reassure that the government would spare no effort (and money) to help Malay achieve education opportunities. He said lack of money should never to use as an excuse.

In my 20 years of political involvement, I find that the Chinese community is very passionate about the survival of Chinese education.

They fear Chinese education would be threatened by government policies. As such, they have stood steadfastly over the last 50 years to defend Chinese education.

I think they have been inspired by the Chinese phrase. From tycoons to hawkers and trishaw pullers, each donates according to their means. In Penang, there is an association dedicated to raise fund each year for a designated Chinese primary school in the State.

However, this Chinese phrase may not be enough to get government leaders to share the same passion for Chinese education.

The best I can say is these Umno government leaders are just tolerating.

It will have to be a gigantic paradigm shift before Chinese education could be given equal funding by the government.

Politicians, who ignore Chinese education issue, ignore at their peril.

In Parliament, I find MP for Bukit Mertajam, Chong Eng the most passionate of the lot.

The following e-mail was sent by a frustrated parent to the DAP. “Is there a chance in Malaysia”, he asked in desperation.
Is he unpatriotic if he choose not to come back to serve the country after his graduation?

mymessage: Yes, it is pitiful to lose talents and the government should
> know that superior human capital will determine the success of nations
> now and in the future.
> I believe the way forward in the wealth of nations go beyond trade,
> economics and politics…it is research and cutting edge knowledge.
> I am glad I have sent my son overseas for his undergraduate studies, on my
> own pocket and doing his PhD in Biomedical Engineering under the
> invitation of a leading Australian university. I do not think he will be
> given a chance here as he has tried to no avail. I suppose when his
> research has a breakthrough, our government will declare he is Malaysian
> born as if sponsored by our government. Will he come back to serve here?
> I do not have to tell you. You know the answer. Is he unpatriotic? I do
> not know. what I know is that he is given a chance there competing with
> Australians and other nationals. Is there a chance in Malaysia? I think
> the standard here is higher than MIT in USA. Most Malaysians cannot be
> admitted. the only way is to go to world class universities overseas.
>
> If this situation continues, Malaysia will lack behind in human capital
> development and live in dark ages until the end of the world.
>
> frustrated parent
>
>

Yesterday afternoon, I took a little time off to watch the live telecast of the Thomas Cup semi-final match between Malaysia and Denmark.

Youngster Kuan Beng Hong crumbled under pressure and Malaysia has to wait two years for another shot at the Thomas Cup.

Although the team lost, I think Malaysians have won. Just look at the fantastic cr0wd support from the Malaysians at the Tokyo stadium.

There is no distinction between Malaysians when it comes to sports. And the best players were chosen for the job, no discrimination. Truly meritocracy at work (overtime).

But why can’t meritocracy be at work too in other spheres of Malaysian lives. In university for example, no non-Malays V-C has ever been appointed the last 50 years. Surely there must be someone if meritocracy is at work.

When meritocracy is busy working, whether we win or we lose is secondary.

What is important is that Malaysians win against the world.

DAP Penang is disturbed by news that the Beng Teik Main School in Lebuh Katz, Georgetown has been served a notice to quit by 30 April for its failure to pay rental for as long as 18 months.

I am shocked to learn that the State Education Department has failed to pay the monthly rental of the school premises to the landlord over the past 18 months.

If this is so, then the Deputy Education Minister Datuk Hon Choon Kim is guilty of misleading Parliament into believing that the Education Ministry has been paying the monthly rental of RM1000.

Just six months ago, the Deputy Minister told Dewan Rakyat on 28 June 2005 that the Ministry was still paying the monthly rental even though there were only 13 students in the school.

Datuk Hon Choon Kim was responding to my adjournment speech in Parliament on the relocation of the Beng Teik Main School.

Now we are surprised to learn that contrary to Datuk Hon’s promise at the Dewan Rakyat, the landowner was not paid for the past 18 months.

Datuk Hon has told a serious lie in Parliament and he should be reprimanded for it.

The DAP Penang also want Datuk Hon to explain whether the Ministry had actually approved the permit for the school to be relocated to Bukit Mertajam.

Datuk Hon must come out clean in this matter lest Beng Teik Main School would face the same fate as Sin Chung School in Kepala Batas.

CHOW KON YEOW