tim thinks that***

August 18, 2008 @ 2:12 am

Universiti Tempurung Mara

Well now seriously. When Khalid Ibrahim made his suggestion for 10% of UiTM placements to be opened up to non-bumis, who did you think he was looking out for? The non-bumis? When was the last time you heard Chinese or Indian students clamouring for UiTM allocations? A degree from UiTM is probably worth less than a good private diploma (outside the govt sector that is).

Yes it’s true that the majority of (private) university and college students are non-bumi - but the solution isn’t to cloister yourselves up in a bumi-exclusvive institution. Degrees are only worth as much as the university behind it: from the university’s own site, half of its “international achievements” come from those dubious Geneva exhibitions we heard about last year.

As Education Malaysia points out, it’s pretty hard to see how UiTM is justified as a university, aside from its name, when it’s non-selective and mono-ethnic. “Charity school funded by taxpayers” is a more apt description, or perhaps “Umnoputera factory”.

The political response is also telling:
- The Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin reads the suggestion as an “insult to Malays”.
- UiTM vice-chancellor Ibrahim Abu Shah called Khalid a “traitor to his race” (Education Malaysia dug up an interesting profile on him as well ).
- “Prime Minister for all Malaysians” Abdullah Badawi vetoed it saying Khalid had “no power” to implement such a thing.
- Toothless MCA and Gerakan pay lip service to Khalid’s suggestion (or maybe not?)
- Malaysian Muslim Consumer’s Association director Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin had the most insiduous comment of all:

“If something like this is allowed to happen, then there will be a worrying situation where many Malay institutions will crumble and be ‘Malaysia-nised‘.

It’s exactly 2 weeks before Merdeka Day. I find it hard to celebrate.

Popularity: 60% [?]

Filed under: Malaysia, News, Politics, Rants
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3 thoughts »

  1. Muhammad Ali thought that...

    August 18, 2008 @ 11:27 pm

    Dear readers,

    I believe now this blog has deviated from the purpose and I would like to point out what are wrong with this issue
    as follows:

    This blog has becoming a tool for personality bashing, please remember we are dealing with
    the Article 153 and UiTM Act which guarantee the privillage of Malay and Bumiputera under the agreement
    signed for the independence of this loving country. Anyone who will be becoming UiTM VC will have to carry the
    spirit and to defend the institution to the very last breath.

    When this country wanted to have independence, the Malays have been very accomodating to agree to Jus Soli that giving citizenship to non Malays
    to be the citizenship of Tanah Melayu. Please bear in mind that your and my great grandfather prayed and know the best for their grandchildren
    to give the Jus Soli to non Malays and The non Malays agreed in return of Jus Soli to respect and obey federal constitution that enshrines the Malays and Bumiputeras
    privillage and rights.

    This is priceless bargain that Malays had agreed to.

    They are willing to share what is rights to them with non Malays as a gesture of appreciation.

    You may not even born yet and do not know that Jus Soli was and will be something that our great grandfather
    had compromised to give you a stay and being love by all of us. I am sad to learned that we encounter this issue,
    which was not supposed to be an issue.

    You might rebut that it was done many years ago and it is less relevant todays but it was the agreement that mould our independence and it is the
    matter that shape our destiny todays and keep the social fabric intact. If you are questioning this as if you are questioning your fore fathers as less
    articulate. No, not at all, they were articulate for thousand years ahead for the good of you and me (Malays and Bumiputeras)

    The issue of UiTM should not be an issue since the non Malays are populating any other universities in Malaysia
    including public higher learning institution especially in engineering and medicine. To combine all the non Malay students in alll education institutions
    they are more or less at par with Malays and Bumiputeras in number, if not better.

    To label all Malays as stupid are not right in every sense. It is as labelling certain race stupid and blanket assumption all are stupid. Malays and Bumiputeras have proven they are capable
    human to lead MNC organisation, country and people at general.

  2. Tim thought that...

    August 18, 2008 @ 11:52 pm

    Aww you must show me this time machine of yours that allows you to live in the past so vividly.

    This blog has not deviated from its purpose, i.e. telling you what I think. And I never said that all Malays are stupid, only UiTM and its policies - though from the way your post is formatted it’s more likely you’ve been going around cutting/pasting the same comment.

  3. Malaysia-nised thought that...

    August 19, 2008 @ 2:48 am

    I have “suggestions” which could Malaysia-nised the Malaysian. Why dont we eliminate all the quotas for any specific race and assimilate all Malaysian. We should start with primary education, removed all SJKs and unite all the children in the same school. What? Cannot? Why? We are all Malaysian what.
    Do not speak in the language which not all of those around you could understand. It could lead to prejudice and misunderstanding.
    Do not advertise a job vacancy which stated that certain language is a must, or certain race is prioritised.
    Place your loyalty to this country and not to your great ancestral lands, you could always left this country and try to get back to your ‘democratically free and peaceful without any conflict and discrimination towards minority ancestral land’.
    We are all Malaysian so we need to be fair when it comes to one race privilages (so that the economic inequality gap could widen) but not when it comes to minority rights ( the right to disrespect ‘orang kampung’, the right to squeeze their money and suck their blood, the right to speak badly about a person right in front of the person without the person knowledge, the right to hate a race but not being called a racist, the right to be synical and deliver hatred in the form of internet blog. I just love Malaysia.

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