25th Jan 2012. Click on image to enlarge to read article.

Thanks Carol Hong for the writeup. Thanks @bytebot Colin Charles for the twitpic.

One of the rooms at my home office, will be available for rent come March 2012 (maybe sooner), as my office will be moving out to a commercial space. If you’re interested to take up the room, send me a private message via Facebook. Do just that. Don’t send a card with some flowers.

The 4 room 1,400 square feet place is fully furnished, except for the room which will have a random set of furniture. Depending on the arrangement, the rent is approximately RM500, utilities included. There is a water heater, but no air-conditioning because the weather here does not need it so.

There is an amount of random guests coming over every now and then, enjoying the space and company of the people. In the event that you’re not receptive to that, there is another bedroom, converted into a common hall which provides for a quiet and private space.

More importantly, judging by the pictures you see on my FB, I suspect a person who would likely be interested to share the space, would be one that either is in to, or at least appreciate the decor. Otherwise, the pull for wanting to stay here, would be absent.

Below are a set of tweets I put out, based on a thinking I’ve been simmering in my head, that will hopefully at some point be presented in a decent article, before moving to presentations.

Disc w/ aunt studying Arabic in SOAS London. Says there’s a group mtg weekly she knows abt tht explores discourse, bringing in ppl of .. a bckground tht recognizes the quantum leap of the world today, those embracing it but also entrenched in religious/traditional views. …. She’s keen on suggesting my name to them but doubt I can make to their meetups. As I’m based in KL. They in London. Well.. Obviously. .. .. Sigh.

But it wld be fun. N good to know such groups r actively coordinating things, consciously expanding their circle 4 some, what I .. .. Could not patronizingly call, grp intellectual masturbation. Areas they explore include d concept of faith on faith, faith on science ..

Itself. Part of the point is to bring ppl who don’t strictly dichotomize parts of life be in science, faith, knowledge, practice but for .. ..The merging or interrelation, interdependence of 1 another. On my end I’ve never gotten to terms w/ the outlook of say, ‘that’s religion.. ..Therefore completely separate.’ Or same goes btwn professional n personal life. It is a demand I suspect unrealistic thus unavoidable. .. ..N it’s unfortunate those who don’t segmentize it as such are deemed non able, weak, unintellectual, or not living the ‘modern’ world. ..

..It is in essence a paradox counter argument declaring tht poor bcz in essence d person tht embraces such,4got to question where his own.. ..own outlook came fr. D argument of independence of thot,smtimes get so carried away tht it distorts d essence of a natural person itself.

Example: u cnt xpect say,a Muslim 2 treat his work principles purely on professional basis when he was raised w/ precisely Islamic teachngs. N 2 demand him 2 dichotomize tht suddenly 2 fit ths concept of modern professional thinkng/culture,is silly. Esp in terms of bein realistic.

2nd example: a woman who celebrates say,her brother’s success in her office w/ laughter is acceptable. But cries abt home issues at .. ..Office is unaaceptable as it is unprofessional&unbecoming. 2 bring dirty linen out. But here’s the thing. Work is driven by human energy..

..N in tht very vein is the human nature. The biological,physical,spiritual,emotional makeup of tht human. Saying she can laugh in the.. ..Office but can’t cry is not jst abt being unrealistic (to not allow her to cry ever),but unfair in terms of being realistic. ..

..Isnt tht colleague a human being?Isn’t that part&parcel of bein a human being?Emotional capacity 2 feel,as well as mental capacity 2 work. This concept of demanding strict dichotomy is awfully silly n unrealistic. Sigh. See now I tweet bnyk. I penat. I nak rest. So I stop. End.

On the last day of 2011, after failed attempts on two previous trips, I finally got the chance to visit the Asian Specialist Bookstore – Select Books, on Tanglin Road in Singapore. I’ve been looking for Goenawan Mohamad’s book Sidelines, (the English version articles from his award winning column Catatan Pinggir, from Tempo magazine) and he tweeted me back to find it at this bookshop, months ago.

Above are the 3 books I bought. Below are tweets I put out, during the 3 or so hours I was in that shop.

Finally found Select Books in Tanglin aftr walking arnd 30 mins. Came here cz Goenawan Mohamed told me I cld find his book Sidelines here .. But it’s no longer available. Seems like last time they ordered tht was in 2000. They’ve other books by Goenawan tho, but not tht I want. ..

Anyway Select Books seem to hv a gd selection of Asian books. 2 books I saw tht I shld probly try to find in KL 1st are:

1 – Al-Qur’an, The Sacred Art of Revelation, w/c discusses the art elements w/in it n also cultural elements in print based of geography.. Of publication. Like design of a Qur’an cover n inside, differ btwn Malaya, Turkish, Europe, African. Publisher is Islamic Arts Museum KL.

2 – Krishen Jit: An Uncommon Position (Selected Writings). Altho it’s publised by the Contemp. Asian Arts Centre, I suspct best 2 try KL 1st.

So yes. Surprisingly after an hr in this shop I’ve yet 2 decide (midway or conclusively) wht Im gettng. Unusual indeed. Lapar nak start ni.

3 – There’s also Equity & Urban Enviro in the 3rd World (Asean&Sgpore).Bloody intrstng,but published in 75. I suspct outdated 4 applicatn sake.

Oh dear I see some nice books here. Tenun – Handwoven Textils of Indonesia. SGD79. Kuusemangat. Boleh beli teket terbang KL Sgpore. Terbang. So what I’ve done is, to take address of publisher in Indo. They’re in Kebayoran Baru. Still in Jkt Selatan. Tak jauh. There’s also another book focusing in Indo textile. Legacy in Cloth. SGD150. Lompat si katak lompat.

I’ve nvr looked into these things forensically or even halfway. Altho I’ve been taken to frequently buying textiles during trips circa 2003.

Saw a pic of a weave belt for a sword w/ Islamic inscriptions of battle cries, tht resembles the Chumpis I always wear w/ jeans. Chumpis r weave belts worn by Quechua tribe farmers in Bolivia and Peru. 6 inch thick. Lebih kurang. The 1s I bought not so. Kita kan slim. There’s also Batik – Fabled Cloth of Java. Amazing book. But published in 84. Also the font is massive. The font size must’ve been ‘AWAS.’ Also here a book called Jute – Handlooms of India. Lovely stuff in there. Altho frankly it’s nice to own them, not books abt them.

Oh dear. There’s a book here called Pashmina. Looks into all things Pashmina, but more importantly to me, design. Cantik ya ampun. There’s jst smtng abt these flers fr Kashmir. Damn son. It’s a gd coffee table book to entertain talkative guest yg aku malas nak layan.

F this. I’m getting this Pashmina book.

Jst gotta b not tempted 2 cutout some pages 2 put in a frame 4 my wall. Like wht I did w/ Van Gogh 2008 Calendar fr Antwerp. 6 Euro aja apa.

Got a Batik book here by Nat’l Museum Sgpore. Abt 30% of the text is in Mandarin. Potong stim. But I like it’s application to Sgpore contxt.

Oh hunky dorry. Jst browse 3 furniture books. Peranakan, Java, Tibet. Metaphorically, this is 1 of those ‘jizz in pants’ moments isn’t it? (tilt 90 degrees)

Jst left shop. 3 books. 1 on Asian proverbs. 1 on Pashmina. 1 on Javanese Batik.Decided to buy books on furniture on my nxt visit since they’re quite mahal individually, let alone altogether the 1s I wanna buy.

Ya so..mm..seems like I spent tad bit too much on books. Happy fckng new year Zain. You’re a legend. Buy more in 2012. Monyet.Ordered lamb shawarma at Shiraz. Si syaitan ni tanya aku nak add cheese ke tak. What donkey serves shawarma w/ tht? Kesian ni minah. Aku yang naik darah pasal tershopping lebih at bookstore, dia yang kena. This tortilla (ew) wrap shawarma better be gd. Oh ye tak ye. My bad. Snap bck to reality. HNY Lainie. :) RT@lainie: @ZainHD dont forget, you’re in the country of cheese naans too :D

Some weeks ago, I put out many tweets on stupid people that others found amusing. Below is a compilation. Like some works of art, which I am not conclusively equating this with, I am not going to explain what I’ve done here. It is for you to make what you want of it.

You don’t call them stupid people. You call them friends.

Stupid people are made equal. They live in your world. That’s why you never notice them.

The reason why stupid people are allowed to exist, is because we need someone to be friends with you.

Stupid people are the reason why some people doubt democracy.

Stupid people actually mean well. Except they don’t know what that means.

If stupid people could string together a respectable sentence, it would begin with a full stop.

Stupid people do not change light bulbs. Because they know it’s not safe to touch the sun even when it’s asleep.

Best way to explain to stupid ppl the world is round, is to roll a marble downhill. When it is out sight, say, ‘now you see?’

Stupid people cannot think like other people because thinking requires a brain.

Asking stupid people to think, makes you one of them.

In a world where stupid people exist, exceptions should be made for gun control laws.

Ask stupid people to ‘see eye to eye’ and they’d ask you for a mirror.

In the land of the blind, they are happy to not see stupid people. The one eyed Jack, is the King in despair.

If a waiter offers stupid people ’100+’, they’d bring out a calculator, waiting for the following number. Excitedly.

Stupid people insist they cannot think straight, because someone told them the brain is shaped much like a hemisphere.

Stupid people do not believe about the end of the world because they heard Kanye’ Diamonds Are Forever.

Stupid people believe the best way to lose weight is to misplace it.

Newspapers are good but can be confusing. Don’t ask stupid people to read The Star during the day.

If stupid people could read the ‘STOP’ sign at a junction, it must also write what to do next.

Article for my column in The Star published today. Was requested to write a retrospective piece on 2011. Well done again to UndiMsia (not just for making the pic article) and Teach For Malaysia. I love you two, for the very ground up development that you’ve had to work through and for.

I think this piece could have been better written. So to emphasize my point/theme here, look at the bigger picture. Some people can see that better if they’re educated with the knowledge, and perspective (though I’m not sure how to begin with the latter, but I assume engagement and discussion is a good start).

*Credit to The Star and Star R.age team. Happy new year to you, and special thanks to my editors and such: Ivy Soon, Niki Cheong and Melody Goh.

A Year in Learning

THE common thread running through 2011 for me was education. That’s my takeout when I look through the various chapters of 2011. I took part in initiatives such as the campaign to encourage people to vote UndiMsia, discussions on the teaching of Maths and Science in English (PPSMI), and the Bersih 2.0 rally for clean and fair elections. I was also involved in projects like Teach For Malaysia and permaculture.

UndiMsia (www.undimsia.com) is a voter education campaign started by a random group of Malaysians, and their numbers have grown by tenfold, at least. They’re active and have an open concept for others who are interested to participate by joining their meetings every Saturday at 11am in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

UndiMsia is a non-partisan youth citizen movement. 

Besides educating people to vote for the right reasons – meaning to vote issues and not politicking – it called for a more participatory democracy by the rakyat, beyond voting. Generally, UndiMsia focuses on three issues: Food and housing, freedom of expression and the education segment of the national Budget.

As I became more active in society, I was more aware of things that are part and parcel of my private and public life. Politics – partisan or not, institutional or not – was something inevitable that I had to take an interest in. So, when the Bersih 2.0 chapter took off, I got involved.

It was enlightening for me to discuss why clean and fair elections were necessary and how it benefited Malaysians beyond politics and government.

I was also active in public discussions on the Government’s decision not to teach Maths and Science in English. I might not be a teacher but I did home tutoring for SPM candidates in Maths, for six years.

Initially, I was supporting the call for Maths and Science to be taught in English, but I have since changed my stand. It’s because I believe teaching these subjects in English would widen the polarity in Malaysia. Everyone deserves equal access to education, and teaching Maths and Science in English could render these subjects inaccessible to some students.

In 2011, two of my friends – Keeran Sivarajan and Dzameer Dzulkifli – started Teach For Malaysia (TFM), an initiative to improve the quality of teaching in schools. They are recruiting university graduates to work for two years as teachers before going on to whatever career path they choose.

It’s an amazing platform for Malaysians to build themselves but more importantly to focus on helping poor performing schools. Their mission for education equity for all is truly inspiring.

To close the 2011 book, I explored permaculture, which the all-knowing Wikipedia defines as “an approach to designing human settlements and agricultural systems that is modelled on the relationships found in nature.”

I started having plants at home in the middle this year to test if I had a greenthumb or not. I’m not sure if I do but I am recognising the impact of living around elements of nature. I’ve been looking to adapt my home to not just include planting my own greens, but also to be environmentally conscious beyond using recyclable bags and reducing water wastage.

This year has only been a piece of the puzzle. Likewise, don’t look at these issues and initiatives in isolation. Let’s look at how they are part of a bigger picture, so we can piece together our next move in 2012.

Zain HD writes occasionally at ZainHD.com and tweets excessively at twitter.com/ZainHD.

Friends- Syahredzan Johan and Woon King Chai, both fellow LoyarBurokkers, today published an article they wrote together and credited me for what little I shared on the issue (see below).

Take note that there were other remarks I made (via email) about the issue that was not included. That said, I won’t add on to what they said or comment on it, but I would commend them for the effort of taking action to write about it and get it out there. It helps the discourse, for people to better understand the issue, if not more than that.

Taken from LoyarBurok.com, follow them on Twitter.com/LoyarBurok:

Both Syahredzan Johan and Woon King Chai look at the ramifications of last Saturday’s infamous ‘flag incident’ at PWTC and ponder where the mahasiswa go from here.

Surely you must have heard the latest and hottest news in town: of Adam Adli, an UPSI student and coordinator of Legasi Mahasiswa Progresif (LMP), coming under fire for his actions in a student march which culminated at PWTC on 17 December 2011.

Both of us were not at the scene of the march, so what we know will be based on the news report as well as eyewitness accounts of those who were at the protest.

The march began at Masjid Jamek LRT station and the objective was to a present memorandum at PWTC and at SUHAKAM headquarters. The march itself was without incident, in fact what was noteworthy was the cooperation given by the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) to the protesters, in which they facilitated the march instead of trying to stop it as what usually happens. This is much welcomed, and hopefully this will herald a new approach to policing and future protests be handled similarly.

The current controversy is in relation to an incident in PWTC. It would seem that emotions got the better of some of the students at PWTC. A flag, bearing the Prime Minister’s face, was lowered and replaced with the flag of BEBAS. It happened briefly, the original flag was raised back up as quickly as it came down. The incident took place not more than 5 to 10 minutes, and in the words of@KohJL on Twitter:

Never has so much been said about so little. I saw incident and didn’t even think it was newsworthy. I’ve been proven very wrong

But newsworthy it was indeed. The storm of controversy that followed the aftermath of the incident (Flag-gate, anyone? You heard here first, on LB!) is well documented. In fact, the flag incident has overshadowed the march of the mahasiswa so much so that no one seems to be talking about the real issue behind the events that Saturday. It would appear that all we that we took from the march was the Flag-gate incident.

It is interesting to note how much this incident has garnered divided opinions and perspectives, from within the mahasiswa movement itself and the larger civil society.

Those in support of what Adam did say that it is a flag with the PM’s face and not the Jalur Gemiling. Some say that students did not burn nor trample the flag and merely lowered it. To them, there is nothing wrong with the action – it is a display of dissent and dissatisfaction with the government. Some have even accorded the act with a sense of symbolism, when quite clearly it was something which was not planned at the time did not have the endorsement of the organisers. It was only later that BEBAS did so retrospectively. As such, to say that the act is supposed to a symbolic one sounds like an afterthought and a rather disingenuous one at that.

On the other side of the spectrum, those against what Adam did described it as lacking courtesy at best, and biadap at worst. @ZainHD described it on Twitter (edited for clarity):

Whatever your affiliations, get it right. Don’t step into someone’s PRIVATE PROPERTY & do something that will LIKELY INSULT them. Understand respect.

Some students themselves (within the movement and the same circle) feel that the actions by BEBAS do not represent the entire student segment of the citizenry. Even though they walked with BEBAS on Saturday, or have been ardent supporters of the movement to expand student freedom and university autonomy, they do not agree with the act. They use the analogy of someone coming by your house, your very own private property, and starts messing around with your garden on your property.

Unfortunately, Flag-gate has degenerated into a partisan farce. Those in UMNO are going after Adam and BEBAS. Those in PKR meanwhile have thrown their support behind Adam and BEBAS. It is with this backdrop that the public discourse regarding Flag-gate is taking place.

BEBAS had no control what Adam did and it would appear that the movement did not plan to do what Adam did. So they could not be held responsible for what happened. What we disagree to is the response by BEBAS to the backlash. Instead of taking a step back to re-evaluate the situation and to take in the bigger picture of how political liberalization is an evolutionary process, they have instead opted to go forth with guns blazing.

Make no mistake, we condemn the threats against Adam, which so far includes threats to slap and spit on him. And while we do not agree in principle with Adam’s act, we also think that the backlash is disproportionate to the ‘crime’. It is after all just a flag with the Prime Minister’s face and it was just briefly lowered.

But BEBAS could have seen the bigger picture. They were asked to apologise, and while we do not see a need to do so, they could have instead chosen the more reconciliatory approach. The confrontational stance they have taken and their retrospective endorsement of Adam’s act have ironically damaged the movement and the cause.

Detractors of the cause are now using Flag-gate to discredit the cause. They are using this incident as proof that the mahasiswa should not be given their freedoms. The erstwhile @mpkotabeludtweeted:

Next it’ll be burning, spitting, tearing & stepping on Jalur Gemilang. Why the hell not? It’s freedom of speech & expression what!

The hardliners in UMNO have also found their ammunition against Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah, one of the few true progressives in the party who not only talk of it, but also acts on it. We find it sad thatFlag-gate is being used against the mahasiswa movement’s benefactor and greatest ally in government.

Time to put things back into perspective. It was a historic march, the culmination of years and years of mahasiswa empowerment. It should symbolise the coming of age of student activism, the day when the mahasiswa showed to the world that they no longer are afraid of the shackles of AUKU, placed upon them by a government fearful of the mahasiswa. The fact that the students marched peacefully to forward their cause for academic freedom without any violence or sabotage from anyone should take precedent over Flag-gate.

The very fact that SUHAKAM, through its commissioner Muhammad Sha’ani Abdullah, received the memorandum is recognition of the inalienable rights of the mahasiswa by the statutory body. Similarly, the fact that the memorandum was received by Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah, Deputy Higher Education Minister and stalwart supporter of student political participation, is tacit acknowledgment by the government of the perjuangan.

Lest our views are misconstrued as losing faith in the students’ ability to handle the responsibility of political expression and affiliation, we reiterate a popular quote from Evelynn Beatrice Hall, in her work “Friends of Voltaire”:

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

Likewise, while we disagree with the methods and tactics employed, we must stand in solidarity together with those who believed in the same cause of advancing student freedom and university autonomy. Flag-gate must not be allowed to be used as an argument to take away from the very same struggle that has been fought for by many generations of students for over four decades.

Those fighting for the cause, regardless of whether it is BEBAS, PKR, PAS, Dato’ Saifuddin, youth wings within Barisan Nasional and civil society must stand together instead of being divided overFlag-gate. The cause is a political cause, but it should not be allowed to become a partisan one.

The cause is far, far bigger than Flag-gate. Let us turn Flag-gate into a positive. BEBAS, while possibly causing damage to the cause, have also put the focus on its movement. Before Nelson Mandela promoted his cause through dialogues, writing, speeches and thereafter reconciliation, he also committed acts of sabotage. It was part and parcel of the struggle. Maybe this is also part and parcel of the perjuangan mahasiswa. And since the nation’s attention is already on this issue, let use it to bring the spotlight onto the cause itself, rather than the incident.

Syah and King Chai are respectively a constitutionalist and a student-rights activist. They would also like to thank ZainHD for his assistance in the completion of this co-authored piece.

Published in my column today 21 Dec. The Star newspaper.

Some weeks ago I was actively arguing why I was/am against teaching maths and science in English in Malaysian schools.

Below is the article published in my column in The Star on the matter. A similar (unedited) one in BM published in Sinar Harian today, a personal milestone for me as this is my first time my writing got published in a Bahasa Malaysia publication.

Also here are two pieces from friends of mine who wrote on the same matter. One by Shahril Hamdan, and the other by Najmie Noordin. I highly recommend you to read both as they touched on angles I did not include in my piece.http://zainhd.cm/2011/11/ppsmi-maths-science-in-english/

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The Star:

Many people find it surprising that I am against the education policy of teaching maths and science in English (PPSMI). This is considering that I am far more fluent in English than I am in Bahasa Malaysia, and went to Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) where everything was taught in English to students who were largely not proficient in the language.

Throughout law school, I was a maths and advance maths private home tutor to students who were sitting for their SPM and PMR exams. Sometimes, I would teach in two different languages as not all the students could understand English well.

I was once a supporter of PPSMI, but have changed my stand since. I’ve come to learn that there’s a huge difference between making a decision and making an informed decision. I changed my mind about PPSMI when I understood the bigger picture.

It started when I saw a draft copy of a World Bank report that looked into the education sector in Malaysia, which is currently being vetted by the Ministry of Education.

In the country’s GDP, we spend 60% more than comparable countries and twice the Asean average for the expenditure of basic education. This is a pattern that covers at least 30 years. Using international comparison, the report finds little or no evidence of a relationship between spending and learning outcomes.

My take from this information and the report as a whole is best illustrated like this: Our education system is like a factory that is heavily invested, well funded, overstaffed and sufficiently supported by stakeholders from the people to their leaders.

Yet its products, the Malaysian students, are not noteworthy.

There is a fundamental problem here. The core objective of this system, which is to educate Malaysians, is not doing what it is meant to do. To implement PPSMI, assuming you think the policy is a good idea, will not be wise. Why ask for a lightweight tyre, when the core structure of your bicycle is falling apart?

If we are going to work on fixing these problems, then we have to be focused.?Implementing something like PPSMI would mean a dillution of energy, time and money towards making the overall system work.

PPSMI has yet to be proven to have significant correlation towards comprehension or results for tertiary science subjects. According to the World Education Ranking conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that measures competency in “Reading, Maths and Science”, the top scorers are Shanghai (China), Korea, Finland and Hong Kong (China). United States ranked 17th, behind Poland and Switzerland.

Here’s another interesting point, assuming that the idea is to make the transition into English tertiary science-based education easier for Malaysian students: Of the approximate 400,000 students who enter Year 1, only 100,000 of them go on to complete their university education. Of that, number, how many of them are actually in the scientific field of study?

Now imagine having PPSMI across Malaysia of which has relevance to a small segment of students.

Imagine the disparity we’re harvesting between the educated, and the non-educated, the employability between the science students and the non-science students. Considering the disparity, caused by the benefit enjoyed by a “selective” segment of our students, can this be good for Malaysia?

If having better standards of English is good for those studying in university and also the country, then improve English as a whole. Japan is ranked 8th in the OECD study and yet, I’m confident that by percentage our population is more exposed to English and understand the language better than the Japanese. Meanwhile, people in Netherlands, ranked 10th, are fluent in Dutch, English and French, too.

Both countries have their education system in their local language.

Education is a national issue that all Malaysians have equity in it. A small school in a rural area where kids live as far as a three-day walk, will not have enough students to make a separate class specially for PPSMI, assuming they even have a teacher who can manage it (well).

Therefore, even if it’s an option, that option is an illusion. They now don’t have access to a portion of our education system, simply because of where they are born. Is that fair?

We have to understand things by tracing back the philosophy of a national education system. Is it meant to give selective special education where the smart will become smarter, and then figure out what to do with those who lack the exposure and opportunities? Is it meant to enable all Malaysians as much as possible to this basic human right? Or, is it purely to produce a workforce or to build a nation of people who are smart and able to articulate?

There’s been a good amount of intelligent people in this world throughout history, who don’t even know English and yet have their knowledge and work transcend beyond their own borders. Let’s work towards a solution for Malaysia. A smart one.

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Sinar Harian:

Sudah lepas masa yang cukup, saya rasa, setelah Timbalan Perdana Menteri serangkap Menteri Pendidikan membuat keputusan tentang Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris (PPSMI) yang membolehkan kita membincang akan isu ini dengan lebih asas dan objektif.

Ramai yang terkejut apabila mendengar yang saya merupakan antara mereka yang menentang dasar PPSMI. Lebih – lebih lagi saya lebih fasih berbahasa Inggeris berbanding Bahasa Melayu, dan menerima pendidikan lanjut di UiTM di mana semua pelajaran diajarkan dalam Bahasa Inggeris kepada pelajar – pelajar yang majoritinya malah tidak fasih dalam bahasa tersebut.

Sepanjang pengajian saya di Fakulti Undang-Undang UiTM, saya menjadi tutor Matematik dan Matematik Tambahan bagi pelajar – pelajar yang mengambil peperiksaan SPM dan PMR. Acapkali saya terpaksa mengajar dalam dua bahasa kerana tidak semua boleh memahami apa yang diajarkan dalam bahasa Inggeris.

Sebelum ini saya merupakan penyokong PPSMI, tetapi saya telah mengubah pendirian saya. Saya sedar bahawa terdapat jurang yang besar dalam mengambil satu keputusan dan mengambil satu keputusan termaklum. Saya telah mengubah pendirian tentang PPSMI setelah memahami situasi ini dengan lebih jelas.

Ia bermula apabila saya terbaca satu salinan draf penyata yang dikeluarkan World Bank berhubung sektor pendidikan di Malaysia, yang pada masa ini sedang diteliti Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia.

Berdasarkan data Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK) Malaysia, kita membelanjakan lebih 60% berbanding negara-negara yang sebanding dengan kita dan dua kali ganda lebih banyak daripada purata negara – negara Asean dalam peruntukan pendidikan. Ini telah berjalan sekurang-kurangnya selama 30 tahun. Dibandingkan dengan negara – negara lain, penyata tersebut gagal merincikan sebarang pertalian antara perbelanjaan  dan natijah pendidkan.

Apa yang saya perhatikan daripada penyata ini dapat disimpulkan seperti berikut: “sistem pendidikan kita bagaikan sebuah kilang yang telah menerima banyak pelaburan, mempunyai dana yang mencukupi, tenga kerja yang ramai, dan disokong sepenuhnya oleh pihak – pihak berkepentingan baik dari masyarakat awam ke para pemimpin. “

Namun demikian, hasilnya, iaitu pelajar – pelajar kita, tidak berdaya saing.

Di sini kelihatan wujudnya satu masalah yang mendasar. Objektif utama sistem ini, iaitu mendidik rakyat Malaysia, tidak tercapai. Untuk melaksanakan PPSMI, andaikata dasar ini merupakan satu idea yang baik, adalah tidak bijak sama sekali. Berdasarkan analogi sebuah basikal, kenapa kita ingin menukar tayar sedangkan rangka basikal itu sendiri tidak kukuh?

Jika kita ingin memperbaiki sistem ini, kita mesti memfokuskan usaha kita. Pelaksanaan PPSMI akan mencairkan usaha, dana dan masa hanya untuk memastikan seluruh sistem ini dapat berjalan.

PPSMI sendiri masih belum berjaya dibuktikan mempunyai pertalian yang signifikan terhadap pemahaman mahupun keputusan subjek – subjek sains di peringkat tertiari. Menurut World Education Ranking yang dikeluarkan oleh Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) yang mengukur kemampuan dalam “Pembacaan, Sains dan Matematik,” yang mencatat markah tertinggi adalah Shanghai – China, Korea, Finland dan Hong Kong – China. Amerika Syarikat berada di tempat ke-17, di belakang Poland dan Switzerland.

Satu lagi fakta menarik, andaikata idea kita adalah untuk memudahkan peralihan kepada Bahasa Inggeris sebagai medium pengajaran sains di peringkat tertiari bagi pelajar-pelajar Malaysia: Daripada kira-kira 400,000 yang memulakan pengajian di Tahun 1, hanya kira-kira 100,000 yang berjaya menyelesaikan pengajian mereka. Daripada jumlah itu, berapa ramai yang merupakan graduan daripada bidang sains?

Dan sekarang bayangkan pelaksanaan PPSMI yang hanya memberikan manfaat buat segelintir pelajar di seluruh Malaysia.

Bayangkan jurang yang kita wujudkan di antara mereka yang berpendidikan dan mereka yang tidak, kebolehpasaran (employability) antara pelajar aliran sains dan bukan sains. Apabila kita renungkan jurang ini, yang disebabkan oleh manfaat yang hanya boleh dirasai oleh segelintir masyarakat, adakah ini sesuatu yang baik buat Malaysia?

Jika mempunyai standard Bahasa Inggeris yang lebih baik itu menguntungkan pelajar-pelajar kita di universiti dan juga negara, maka apa yang perlu kita lakukan adalah meningkatkan kualiti pengajaran Bahasa Inggeris itu sendiri! Jepun berada di tangga ke-8 dalam laporan OECD yang sama, tetapi saya yakin yang secara keseluruhan, populasi Malaysia jauh lebih terdedah kepada Bahasa Inggeris daripada Jepun. Manakala masyarakat Belanda, di tempat ke-10, fasih berbahasa Belanda dan Inggeris.

Kedua-dua negara ini mengggunakan bahsa ibunda masing-masing sebagai bahasa pengantar pendidikan mereka.

Pendidikan merupakan satu isu nasional di mana setiap rakyat Malaysia mempunyai ekuiti di dalamnya. Sekolah-sekolah kecil di kawasan luar bandar,  tidak akan mempunyai pelajar yang cukup untuk melaksanakan kelas PPSMI secara berasingan, itu pun dengan andaian yang mereka mempunyai guru yang terlatih.

Oleh itu, biarpun PPSMI merupakan satu pilihan, ia lebih merupakan satu ilusi. Pilihan ini akan menyebabkan anak-anak di luar bandar ini akan terpinggir daripada pendidikan kita hanya kerana mereka lahir di luar bandar. Adakah ini akan membawa keadilan sosial?

Untuk itu, dalam usaha kita memahami situasi ini, kita perlu menelusuri kembali falsafah pendidikan negara kita. Adakah ia digubal untuk menyediakan satu siri pendidikan khas supaya mereka yang cerdik akan bertambah cerdik dan kemudiannya cuba memberikan penyelesaian kepada mereka yang kurang bernasib baik? Adakah ia digubal untuk menjamin hak setiap rakyat Malaysia untuk diberi peluang menerima pendidikan yang bermutu? Adakah  ia digubal hanya untuk menghasilkan tenaga kerja? Atau adakah ia digubal untuk melahirkan generasi pembina negara dan masyarakat yang berwawasan?

Melihat kembali sejarah manusia,  telah lahir banyak cendikiawan di dunia ini yang tidak mahir berbahasa Inggeris tetapi berilmu tinggi dan menghasilkan pelbagai karya yang merentasi batas-batas sosiobudaya. Untuk itu, marilah kita berusaha bersama-sama dalam mencari penyelesaian (yang bijaksana) buat Malaysia.

Since I moved out of my parents place late 2009, I’ve made it a point to avoid (almost completely), to call in extra help to clean y own place. It is imperative, I believe, that for as much as a person can be and remain independent and/or self-sufficient, he should.

Yes, there is the consideration of practicality and productivity, such as our expensive skilled time better invested elsewhere for better impact, if looked at in isolation. But that should not be veiled against formed complacency and harvested incompetency.

*Disclaimer: I too, struggle to schedule even random cleaning operations at home.

A reason why I take issue on this is two clear examples that are evident to me, the idea that:

1. a middle class home today cannot function without a domestic worker doing the house certain, most or all chores,
2. a child is expected to be primarily educated (in an encompassing context), by school teachers, and not the able adults in his reach.

Those two are only an example of what it brings us to. What is between the lines in essence, that makes it damaging, is the distorted outlook and paradigm that we have upon everything beyond ourselves, and worst still, upon ourselves, without actually realizing it. And then, the self-believe that it could be otherwise.

The video is an area of my recent interest. But that aside, at two parts it relates to my point above. What she calls inner-dependancy, and following that the consumerist mindset (for me, that which affects our lives overall, and not just materially).

*Thanks Yasmin for sharing this video with me. A pot of earl gray with some darjeeling, is owed.

- click to watch video http://zainhd.com/2011/11/ted-why-zain-doesnt-call-in-domestic-help