The Malaysian Insider

The key to racial harmony does not depend only single stream schools only if you analyse the S'pore policy Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin. They treat their citizens fairly irrespective of race. Their politicians do not demand ketuanan cina. They practice meritocracy. Can Bolihland do that. If we can do that then we do not need a single stream school system to achieve racial harmoney. We can have triple stream and still achieve racial harmony if we want to follow the S'pore policy.

Malaysia follow Singapore? No way... dream on. We're still thinking of Malay supremacy while other races are probably "less supreme" in that sense. How on earth would you expect this country to be a united nation of multi-ethnic groups? Singapore was very far-sighted. Lee Kuan Yew could envisioned the effects of having a single stream education system while Malaysian politicians do not want one. It's just like the "divide and rule" thing which our colonial master - the British - had imposed on Malaya over 50 years ago! The Chinese were in Chinese villages, the Indians in estates, and the Malays in rural areas.

Singapore is far better than Malaysia now because they dared to be different; they broke away from Malaysia. That's perhaps the wisest thing that they've done - see where they are now; and see where we still are compared to 52 years ago.

I'm not glorifying Singapore, but if we don't learn - or are too hardheaded, proud or egoistic to learn - from them, we'll remain stagnant 50 years from now and beyond.

Dear Datuk Seri,

Thank you for ur opinion!! Appreciate ur thought and keen interest in forging stronger unity among Malaysians. I honestly support single stream education, but i would rather opt for English as mainstream media. That's how Singapore move forward.

Let us all face the reality that English is still an international language. Nobody is going to write technical/ scientific document in Chinese, Malays or Indian. Let's face the truth and not hide ourselves away from it. It's has already 50plus years we have achieved independent and we are still living in an old/ backward mindset.

There's no need to opt for Look East policy and learn from Japan. There's a very good example in the South which has many Malaysia can learn from. Let us not hold on to our ego anymore, start leanring from someone who knows how to govern a multi racial community better.

Thank you.

A Malaysian citizen
Alfred Lam

What a joke. Do you think that a single stream school can solve all the problem? Come on, wake up. The real cause of our country racial division is because of the ruling party rhetoric and racist policy.

Singapore's closing down Chinese schools was regretted later by Lee Kuan Yew himself!!! Look at how Singaporeans suffer today when they deal with China. In this aspect, Malaysia is doing a better job, believe it or not, Chinese Malaysians do a better job dealing with China than Chinese Singaporeans. A lot of Singaporeans who in charged of Chinese affairs or Chinese related business and etc are actually Malaysians!!! Some of the best Chinese actors and teachers in Singapore are Malaysians too!

Singaporeans are way less divided along the racial line because of the government fair policy!!! You don't hear Ketuanan Cina in Singapore, you also won't hear Chinese getting quota in universities, in fact it is the Malays that get privileges in Singapore. You also won't hear PAP MP saying that they want to wash the Chinese swords with Malay blood. You also won't see cow head demonstration in front of Singapore city hall. There is also no such thing as NEP in Singapore. You also won't see students cannot get into university because of their skin color, the Sarawak girl who is not accepted into matriculation recently --- such a thing does not happen in Singapore. If you have good results, you are guaranteed a spot in the best university in Singapore, your skin color, religion, background DO NOT matter at all.

Singapore uses English as a common language also serve another purpose, it is an international language that brings opportunities and link different races together. It is a language that facilitate international trading. Singapore as a financial hub, clearly need it. It doesn't has so much resources like Malaysia.

Zainuddin, I am sorry to say that Malay is no where near the status of English. I agree to have Malay as our national language and every Malaysian should know how to speak it. But that doesn't mean that Malay can serve as a language that links all the citizens together. The harsh fact is, even non-Malays who know how to speak fluent Malay choose not to speak it, unless they have Malay friends around or someone who only know Malay. Why would two Chinese people speak Malay? Malay clearly has almost no economical or scientific value, this is just a harsh fact the government need to accept. Go out of Malaysia, no one speaks it. Even Bahasa Indonesia is so different from Bahasa Malaysia. In fact, Bahasa Indonesia has more economical value than Bahasa Malaysia.

My finally word, as long as racial policies remain in Malaysia, we will always be divided along racial line no matter what schools we go! I am sick of seeing UMNO people making stupid statements with no depth from time to time.

By the way, in Kebangsaan schools, Malays still mix with Malays and the non-Malays still mix with non-Malays, doesn't matter if they are in the same school, they just don't mix, this is a fact, go to these schools and take a look yourself. On the other hands, Malay students mix very well with Chinese students in Chinese schools, this again, is a FACT. Go and grab a Malay who study in Chinese school, and he/she will tell you that his/her best friends are Chinese. Go and grab a student in a Kebangsaan school, their best friends are usually of the same race and religion! You want to know why? Because in Chinese schools those racial policies are thrown out, no single race is favored, you just need to prove yourself to be the best.

Singapore MPs never spoken or acted on racial sentiments and their media never create dishormony and hurt the feelings of minorities by publishing racist comments.
That is it.

I support the single stream school system ONLY if the medium is ENGLISH, like Singapore. English is not only progressive but it will also unite the nation; as it will not be partial.

“Just as Singapore uses the English language to break the crisis posed by the rise of Chinese chauvinism and communism in the early 1960s, Bahasa Malaysia can play a similar role in our country, even though it is somewhat late,”

This guy is still living up the coconut tree. English is a the language of Science and Economic and that's what made Singapore that is today....and not BM or English spoken in Bahasa for that matter

It's ok to have a single stream school system in M'sia provided the language used is in English..mind you, Singapore's national language is B.Malaysia but they use English in their schools as their main medium.. can M'sia do the same?!!....otherwise, please shelve that idea for good!!!!

Why can't the politicians get the message clear???.. it's not about racial problems here, it's about the language!!

There can never be unanimity on such issue. When Singapore implemented the policy did it wait for unanimity?. The problem with Chinese and Indian in Malaysia is that whenever it come to fighting for theirs its not racist. When Malays fight for what is Malays be it Malaysians it is racist. A Malay has to be less Malay in order to have national unity in Malaysia but not so in the case of Indian and Chinese.

We cannot today be like that. We all have to be truly Malaysians. Have a one stream school system so that 50 years from now we do not have divisions like today. At the same time make available teaching of all languages we like to use. Apa? susah sangat ke nak buat macamtu? If we are honestly Malaysians this should not be a problem. But if we are protecting vested interests for our own purposes even simple thing can be a difficult problem. There is no need to look at Singapore. The answer is in our own hands.

S'pore will always be far ahead of M'sia if M'sia doesn't change teaching language to Global Language (English). Once Asian Tigers, ROK, ROC, S'pore, HK left M'sia far behind the race n Indonesia is now emerging under Susilo. Single School system with English (not any other one) as a teaching language will benefit the nation. Otherwise M'sia will still decline as now since Politics, Economics and Education are linked in turn. Anybody can imagine why a nation with 25M+ population (Human Resource) and rich in Natural Resources was overstepped by rival nations which were once having similar GDP per capita as M'sia's.

The real reasons Malay and non-Malay are not truly united is due to quata system, over emphasis on religion, discriminating policies and Malay supremacist in UMNO. Minorities in Singapore does not face all these problem.

If we are sincere in implementing single stream school system, it must be based on a practical approach, that is an English language single stream school system. Make Bahasa Malaysia as a compulsory language with the other mother languages as compulsory for the other races. Better still, make all languages as compulsory for all.

This way we will create a human population of people with English as a main language and ability to speak Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and Tamil at the same time. Everyone should be happy that all languages are accommodated and yet we are able to compete in the world arena with our ability to speak in English.

It takes more than one stream school to overcome the deep seated racial problems that were and still perpetuated and institutionalised by Malaysian politics. Our children are colour and racially blind in school. It is and has always been the adults that taught them about racial difference. You just have to go to any primary schools and they are all friends irrespective of their racial background.

The Singapore model on the surface looks so perfect but one needs to drill down to the society mix to see the imbalances. How many non Chinese 4 stars generals are there in the SDF, sits on the Board of Director of major companies, professionals? How many non Chinese are there in the best schools in Singapore? How many non Chinese managed to secure a placement in NUS medicine, law, engineering, economic and other top courses? How many non Chinese professionals are there? What is the ratio between non Chinese and Chinese middle class professional?

Only the naïve will adopt a model blindly without a deep understanding of the cultural and society content of the source country. Our country’s economic and political landscape is splattered with collateral damages from these blind copying.

We all know what needs to be done but has the BN/UMNO has what it takes to do it? That is the question

Uni of Sta..

The former information minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin (ZM) said Malaysia should emulate Singapore’s single stream school system so as to produce a population that “no longer spoke and acted on racial sentiments”, Is this statement true?? If you said Singapore no longer acts on racial sentiments, why the Government of Singapore discourages the Malay Singaporeans to joint in armed forces, why the Malays need not serve in National Service (NS)? Why their Malay pilots are not allowed to ride F16 Fighters? Why almost none of their Malay leaders are holding any key positions in the Public sectors?? Why only a lone minister serves in Cabinet of the PAP Government of Singapore even though the Malay comprises of about 15% of the total population of Singapore? If you really want to ask more questions, I think there is really a long list to go... There are thousand of good reasons in order to make a country becoming high income and developed nation. In the same way, there are also have hundred of good reasons to make people becoming "no longer spoke and acted on racial sentiments". But to simplify it by saying a single stream of educational system can achieve this goal’s state of "no longer spoke and acted on racial sentiments" is really stupid indeed. If by the ZM’s logics and theory, then Indonesia should be the most harmonious and peaceful society in the world because their schools from kindergartens up to university and even to PhD levels are conducted in Bahasa Indonesia (i.e. Bahasa Melayu)... But in the reality, the Indonesian society is one of the world's most violent places. Bombing Churches, killing innocents and burning cars/properties can really open your eye big but all these are and have been happening in Indonesia...... I have been doing business in Indonesia for the past almost 20 years; I think I could even write a book regarding the weak and successful points of Indonesia. BUT ONE POINT IS VERY CLEAR that A SINGLE LANGUAGE SYSTEM CAN NEVER UNITE PEOPLE. Let me tell you a real story, about last year of this time, I brought my family to Indonesia for vocation. Happened that I was in a bank also, therefore I did ask a bank office where the best zoo in the town is. The officer replied: Bapak, jangan pergi ke kebun binatang yang di pusat bandar tapi ke safari aja!" Then I asked again: kenapa harus ke safari yang jauh mangat ni (about 200 km dari kota) ? The said Bank Officer then replied in a very serious manner: Ini sebab terlalu banyak orang pribumi ada di bebun binatang kota (pusat bandar). My goodness, how come this could be a reason and happen in so called a single language spoken country????
If according to ZM ideas, Switzerland whch is practising real multi languages system, (all 4 languages in the country are treated equally and the same (all have the same official language status)), should be the most divided and unmercifully country in the world. But in the real world, the Switzerland is one of the most developed nation in the world with the capital income of more than USD40,000 per head which is 7 and 2 times than Malaysia and Singapore respectively.. The Switzerland is practising 5 languages including English because the later is the most important international language in the world. The Switzerland indeed is the most peaceful country in the world even becomes dream-land for many Singaporean leaders including her former PM Mr. Goh Chok Tong....

Singapore succeeded by replacing Malay, Tamil and Chinese with English. Reason is simple. No one is tuan over another.

English is after all an international language. Any plan to replace Tamil, Chinese with Bahasa Malaysia will fail.

Even Mahathir consider Bahasa Malaysia not appropriate to teach Science and Maths. Science and Maths are the backbone of commerce. Malaysia must replace all Tamil, Malay and Chinese with English in all level of education to succeed. Teach Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil as second language.

My god! Singaporeans are living in HDB flats like monkeys and you say they are better off than us??? I am sure they will trade with my corner lot house anytime!!!

Rationally, why dont propose to use English, an international language and progresive one to pursue modernisation and technology. Historically, look at Singapore and the success they achieved over the last 30 years. Moreover, English being non mother tongue to all the other major races should be more acceptable and neutral.

The question is does UMNO has the guts and political will to implement English as a foundation for 1 stream system in our school?

Actually, it's a big mistake for the MOE to revert back to BM for Maths and English. And this former information minister is mixing politics with education like any other BNend goons.

It's was heavily debated among the teaching fraternity of higher education, that the level of general knowledge among Malaysian students is low. Why? They complained that the translation work from English to Malay is too slow and vice versa. Wonder why our local universities' ranking is bad. Because no one out of Malaysia actually refers to/or sites our own local universities research publications. We do very well have too many jaguh kampung PHDs that publish in the Malay language. Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking down at them, just pity because their work maybe good but if no one reads it or refer to it, It is not recognised. Don't get me wrong too. I'm not gloryfying the English language. It's just that, it's now the language of business, science and what not today due to historical evolution of mankind, at the world's scale. It's now among the 6 official language of the United Nations. Can the Malay language do the same in 100 or 1,000 year's time? Be pragmatic.

Now, let's get back to main topic. Throw out the politicians. Let's the professionals handle the problem. Too much of "politiking" killed our national sports. Look at it now. Nowhere on the world chart except for a few, self-initiated success like our Squash queen. Our national football team is totally pathetic. Our Badminton squad is more like a hit-and-run guerilla squad not able to produce constant success.

I fear, our education system is in the same "spot". We are killing our own future by the "try-try" attitude and experimenting it like lab mouse. What are the politicians trying to do? Look at the real issue. Learning and gaining a new language is never a losing attempt. I always encourage my children to speak all the languages that they can with different people. I can proudly say that my children now speaks Malay, English, Chinese (Mandarin) and other Chinese dialects without much hesitance. Is there anything to loose? I will support the Chinese national type schools as long as it's beneficial to our future generation. Singapore is benefiting from it indirectly. Read the "Brain Lost" article posted earlier? Yes, Singapore is the place where the most willing and able go to work now and in the future.

Malaysia has always tried to show off to the world that the country is made out of multiple cultures and traditions that is well respected and appreciated. This can be seen in the adverts shown on TV. Unforturnately, when foreigners visit this country, they will see the reality. Behind the peaceful facade, they can see and hear all the unfair policies made by our ruling government.

Creating a single stream school system will only send us back to the stone age. How many times have we been victims of our education system when new policies are introduced in the name of improving the system but later on reconsidered, removed and replaced because they had flaws. These policies are made by "learned" individuals who were supposed do research before implementing new policies and not just implement them because "someone had an idea". Take for example, the recent policy to teach Maths and Science in English that failed. One of the reasons for the failure is the lack of teachers who can actually teach in English. This should have never been an issue because it should have been obvious.

This single stream school system idea is just to add flavour to our PM's 1Malaysia. Most probably will call it "1School" or "1Education". Just like all the changes made to our education system, this will definitely fail. I'm not anti or pro government but how many times have we seen this recuring problem. To actually make this system work, a policy of fairness and equality must be prioritized. Speaking from experience, this will never ever happen. A system of fairness and based on merits is alien to our policy makers. How would students and their parents feel when they have put so much effort into their studies but it got them no where just because they are part of a minority group. I am not talking out of hatred or contempt but out of experience.

It's frustrating when the Government is unwilling to accept that the unfair policies in this country is slowing down its growth and success. They trumpet their short term achievements while denying their failures. Failures which have been pointed out for years but never acknowledged. So what if we have the world's tallest building, F1 stadium, etc. Those in power forget that the government is chosen by the rakyat to serve the rakyat. Even after GE12 results, they are still not fully awake.

The biggest mistake made by the govertment is to sent too many of the Malay student overseas to further their study. You see a lots of them came back and they are so much smarter than the UMNO
goons. They speak their mind, they know what is right and wrong, now the UMNO goons realise they have make very big mistake by sending them overseas and educate them. Imagine if they are all educated in Bahasa Malaysia dont utter a word of english govt have no problem ma. the UMNO goons have no problem in controlling the Malays. Many of the Malays are against the govt now, that is why you see a split inthe malay politics.
The UMNO goons are panicking now thats why they want the teaching of science and maths to revert back to bahasa malaysia. Just imagine 50 years from now our future generation will be 50 years behind time.
Then the UMNO goon's children will be controlling the govt (they all study oversea at a young age) following their father's foot steps continuing to swindle the rakyat's money . Cannot imagine what is going to happen to our children. Like that also you people dont understand ah ?

i m really sincere in agreeing about the single stream school...or at least the teching language of math and sciences being in malay languange for all school,regardless their stream..this is real unfair that we all have to change to english at one time..but when the PPSMI being abolished, all are coming to each of our language...use this two core subject first, to be our step for using language as the main unity equipment in Malaysia..

Singapore adopted English as a single education stream and you want to "follow" Singapore by adopting Malay as a single education stream?