Malaysiakini - Fake degrees and fake reforms: by Commander (rtd) S Thayaparan
“Ong said given the more serious nature of the revelation, Najib must ask the two ministers to quit to reflect his seriousness in upholding accountability.”
- Malay Mail, June 26, 2013
Ong's piece is politics at its most craven.
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politics at its most craven |
Ong is half-right. You do not need professional qualifications to be an effective politician. However, professional qualifications most times add a veneer of legitimacy to mendacious politics because people are conditioned to think that professional degrees add an element of credibility to political rhetoric.
But it adds very little to actual governing and policy-making which entails a different set of skill sets, most importantly political will.
Ong says that a professional qualification is not needed to be an effective politician. This is true. A politician lies or spins, works the party system, makes alliances and enemies and generally does despicable deeds to court votes, and you do not need a professional qualification to do this.
Do all politicians do this? Maybe not, but mainstream political parties are filled with elected politicians who do this.
Furthermore, Ong now claims that when being part of the government or a ministry, “it is more important for you to know your scope of work and your policy responsibilities. Having done a degree may be helpful in training you to think more broadly and critically and hence, better equip you to govern. But it is not guaranteed.”
With regards to “degree mills”, Ong said: “My stand on this issue is clear and has not changed. It is not acceptable for politicians to buy degrees from degree mills and then try to pass these off as being genuine academic degrees.”
But it adds very little to actual governing and policy-making which entails a different set of skill sets, most importantly political will.
Ong says that a professional qualification is not needed to be an effective politician. This is true. A politician lies or spins, works the party system, makes alliances and enemies and generally does despicable deeds to court votes, and you do not need a professional qualification to do this.
Do all politicians do this? Maybe not, but mainstream political parties are filled with elected politicians who do this.
Furthermore, Ong now claims that when being part of the government or a ministry, “it is more important for you to know your scope of work and your policy responsibilities. Having done a degree may be helpful in training you to think more broadly and critically and hence, better equip you to govern. But it is not guaranteed.”
With regards to “degree mills”, Ong said: “My stand on this issue is clear and has not changed. It is not acceptable for politicians to buy degrees from degree mills and then try to pass these off as being genuine academic degrees.”
On this issue, Ong's stand is not clear. I would argue his stand on this issue was clear but since coming to federal power his stand has been reversed. What Ong says now is radically different from what he said back in the day. The justification he is making now is a mockery of what this Pakatan Harapan reform government is supposed to be about. It does, however, demonstrate that Harapan operatives are excelling in back-pedalling.
In 2013, Ong had asked then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak to sack two ministers who Ong claimed had fake degrees. If anything, his stand then was clear.
Two points need to be understood when considering Ong's change of position. And this is so funny because the headline for the report blares out “Sack ministers with dubious degrees, DAP MP tells PM”.
The first, Ong has a clear position on this issue and demanded the resignation of ministers with fake degrees.
“It is truly disappointing that on the first day for ministerial replies in the first parliamentary sitting since the 13th general election, Malaysians have to accept the reality that Prime Minister Najib Razak has appointed two ministers with two dodgy degrees each from institutions which are degree mills.”
The second, Ong shifts the goal posts. In his piece yesterday, he claimed that not having a degree does not necessarily impede a politician's ability to carry out his policy responsibilities but the question here is, does having a fake degree impede the minster’s ability to carry out his responsibility? We should refer to what Ong said before Harapan came into federal power:
“Therefore, to entrust two ministers with fake degrees with the serious responsibilities of human capital development and the management of certifications and standards is not only a gross embarrassment but also most ironic for a prime minister who has made transformation his clarion call.”
Bending over backwards
In 2013, Ong had asked then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak to sack two ministers who Ong claimed had fake degrees. If anything, his stand then was clear.
Two points need to be understood when considering Ong's change of position. And this is so funny because the headline for the report blares out “Sack ministers with dubious degrees, DAP MP tells PM”.
The first, Ong has a clear position on this issue and demanded the resignation of ministers with fake degrees.
“It is truly disappointing that on the first day for ministerial replies in the first parliamentary sitting since the 13th general election, Malaysians have to accept the reality that Prime Minister Najib Razak has appointed two ministers with two dodgy degrees each from institutions which are degree mills.”
The second, Ong shifts the goal posts. In his piece yesterday, he claimed that not having a degree does not necessarily impede a politician's ability to carry out his policy responsibilities but the question here is, does having a fake degree impede the minster’s ability to carry out his responsibility? We should refer to what Ong said before Harapan came into federal power:
“Therefore, to entrust two ministers with fake degrees with the serious responsibilities of human capital development and the management of certifications and standards is not only a gross embarrassment but also most ironic for a prime minister who has made transformation his clarion call.”
Bending over backwards
Should the police investigate someone for having a degree from a degree mill or a fake degree? Probably not. But if having a fake degree is part of the systemic corruption that someone like Ong used to rail against, then why is Ong now making all these justifications for a member of his coalition?
Ong asked then prime minister Najib for the resignation of the two ministers in 2013 and asked for the ministers to resign to prove their commitment to reform. Why is Ong not asking the current prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad for the resignation of Deputy Foreign Minister Marzuki Yahya ? Why is he not asking Marzuki to resign? Why is he not asking for the Harapan political elite to demonstrate they are committed to reforms?
Ong asked then prime minister Najib for the resignation of the two ministers in 2013 and asked for the ministers to resign to prove their commitment to reform. Why is Ong not asking the current prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad for the resignation of Deputy Foreign Minister Marzuki Yahya ? Why is he not asking Marzuki to resign? Why is he not asking for the Harapan political elite to demonstrate they are committed to reforms?
Does Ong really believe that his position has not changed? Does Ong really believe that his muted goal posts-shifting piece about fake degrees is really the way how to reform the system? I mean, does anyone else realise how funny this is?
Now people may say this is not a big issue. Truth be told, I am not really bothered by politicians who go around carrying fake degrees. As far as I am concerned, all the ministerial appointments have been a dodgy affair and it would not matter if the appointees had sterling academic qualifications. The reality is that most of them are not really interested in reform or do not have any ideas for reforming the system.
What is alarming is the way how politicians who used to claim to want to reform the system and hold the government accountable are now bending over backwards to defend issues which before they came into power they claimed were indefensible.
The question is not how Marzuki can be a credible deputy minister but how those who backtrack on their positions just to defend Marzuki be credible reformers?
It's the Opposition's job to carry out the role of Check and Balances on the government.
ReplyDeleteOng Kian Ming was carrying out the role of an Opposition leader at the time, and an effective one.
Why should he engage in friticidal fire today ?
So, the evil OKM does as a Minister (or as an opposition) is civilized? Whatever Najib does is evil and uncivilized? Wakakaka..
DeleteNo one in DAP has stolen public funds.
DeleteBossku is on trial for siphoning off Billions of Ringgit into his cronies and his own pocket.
LGE should have been on trial for the bungalow case. In addition the penang tunnel and reclamation must be investigated as the numbers don't stack up.
DeleteSo please don't act as if DAP is blameless. BN is now in opposition and we want them to provide checks and balance. Rightly so because the current administration is not doing well on many areas
It is most disappointing that Najib has been totally silent (as far as I can tell) about misrepresentation of educational qualifications in his and TDM’s administration. He must speak up.
ReplyDeletealmost all tis lge kaki is either zombie or liar.
ReplyDeleteAs far as PBBM/BERSATU is concerned, if Ahjibkor/UMNO can do it, so can they because they are all Malays, Moslems and Bumiputeras. Semua serupa, apa nak Malu?
ReplyDeleteSo, what has it got to do with others like DAP, MCA, MIC, PH, BN, GPS, GBS etc getting involved?
Since when political parties and their supporters have honesty and integrity and pretend behaving such in this boohaha besides the ordinary folks?
To some sore breeding heart, DAP is easy game than anything out there!
DeleteNo need to offend the atasan. Looks politically correct. Clear target for personal graveness.
F*ck these bastardized 中庸 interpretation!
https://m.malaysiakini.com/news/463329
ReplyDeleteWakakaka...looks like Fake Degrees is an epidemic in Pribumi.
Mahathir's University Malaya Singapore medical degree is fully Kosher, of course...
mahathir was and still is far too intelligent to resort to such nonsense
Deleteit seems PKR and Pribumi (and I heard even one DAP) have such scandals
The main reason Ong Kian Ming can afford to take a pretty relaxed stance on this is he knows its a non-starter in most of the Chinese community.
ReplyDeleteIn Penang, folks I heard mention on this think it is a "Jiak Ta'i Pahr" issue.
The most pressing issues confronting the country are how to improve Malaysia's economy, how to arrest the slide in education standards and how to most effectively channel aid to the needy.
Many successful Chinese businessmen started from very modest or No academic background. They progressed through business acumen, street smarts and sheer hard work.
Some (not all) , having gained substantial financial success, like to adorn their office with "degrees/diplomas" that may not be quite kosher.
Who cares ?
no one is talking about the necessity of academic qualifications for a minister except Singaporeans. The current scandalous issue is the MISREPRESENTATION of credentials - how can anyone trust such a person, let alone for him to be a senator and minister?
Deleten most of the time, chinese is fine with hypocrite.
DeleteYa-loh, talk about yrself lah.
DeleteFor a f*cked head like u, exercising yr 小民的智慧 to govern a nation. U will be doing worst than yr idol 龙应台！
“唯才是举” is the best of the worst solution!
However, in the current fake degree fiasco - no excuses SHOULD be given as there r ample capable personalities around ONLY if mamak can hardden the heart & make the real changes.
Mamak has been conned by these fake degree supporters into appointing them into positions of power. In his eagerness to get the 'right' people for the jobs!
Mamak is too smart as PH govt is in her early days of administration. Many things need to take into consideration, not unsimilar to Cao Cao's compromises in stabilising the country first before doing the micromanagement!
The intelligentsia within DAP can see that too. Don't like it, but best leave it to mamak, who COULD wield the power to control the intraparties infightings.
Anything DAP says OPENLY would be twisted by the dalangs' racial manipulations on the blur-sotongs. DAP has been labelled long enough with racist tag to know better!
Speaking in silent DOESN'T mean saying nothing!
Perhaps a cabinet reshuffle is indeed an urgent schedule on the table for mamak!
But f*cked heads for various reasons WILL go to town for a showdown that they so desperately needed for the hadi bawang's UK court case diversion!
hallo idiot
Deletei am not politician, the govern of nation is not my task. i told u to compare apple to apple n what u could do is to repeat the idiotic bs, again n again.
mamak has been conned is the 2019 joke of the year. only a joker say that, u r no doubt a joker.
do it right the first time shd be the motto, whats the people wan, i believe, is right the wrong, no one ask u to touch on the malay n muslim rights, its only idiot like u that cucuk the same day in day out.
dap silence is understandable, if dap people label mca as dog for not speaking up, whats wrong others did the same, however the worst part is when some dap dog try to defend the indefensible, that make them the hypocrite. u believe a hypocrite can do reform, i dun. n that is y i said most of the time chinese is fine with hypocrite, the chinese here is idiot like u.
u r not only idiot, u r oso stupid, tat is y now i spell it out to u, word by word, comprehand kah idiot? wakaka.
Hmmmm… idiot does as idiot thinks!
DeleteBravo. & I'm still counting more clownish acts from u!
No politician er?
The govern of nation is not yr task.
Then be true to yr word, stay the f*ck out of political issues. Leave them to the politikus - apple to apple comparison mah, as known in yr 小 民的智慧 fart.
Wakakakaka…
"do it right the first time shd be the motto, whats the people wan, i believe, is right the wrong, no one ask u to touch on the malay n muslim rights"
Yr utopian wet dream under yr tempurung, RIGHT?
For yr fart-clouded mind, all things under the bolihland sun revolve around the 3Rs. If u think the Malay/Muslim rights(??) can't be touched, then u removed 90% of the sopo issues facing bolihland. Have u lumped yr favourite apples with oranges & pineapples AGAIN?
Besides, "do it right the first time" - wakakakakakaaaaaaa. Let's just go back to crossing the river by feeling the stone lah, mfer!
Oooop… things under yr tempurung CAN alway be expected to be done right the 1st time round!! U de man or just pure farts?
"if dap people label mca as dog for not speaking up, whats wrong others did the same, however the worst part is when some dap dog try to defend the indefensible, that make them the hypocrite"
Mfer, r u playing politician again, as in AGAINST yr fart?
So, u DON'T believe a hypocrite can do reform!
Was lau-eh!!
So why keep looking up to that 'formosa'?
Bcoz she has fed u shit & kept u living under a fake utopian under a self-made tempurung?
Indeed, says some more lah - "most of the time chinese is fine with hypocrite, the chinese here is idiot like u."
Next time be VERY clear about the phrase u used. U have offended ALL Chinese M'sians when u r gamingly farting about "most of the time chinese is fine with hypocrite"!!!
Perhaps, u should take a lesson from Lim Guan Eng: “I’m sorry, I don’t consider myself Chinese. I’m Malaysian”
W/O realising that both of u have just classified yrself as rootless (忘本）while clinging to a spurious 2nd class title that the ketuanan freaks r so eager to bestow upon!
Hmmm……
Idiot & also stupid - let the readers judge. Don't play kangaroo court lah!
Keep coming with more, so that I can cleanse this fart chamber u have also built around yrself once for all.
Wakakakakaka. Lets see the bigger picture.
ReplyDeleteIn Malaysia, since the posts of Ministers, Deputy Ministers are political appointments, it doesn't really matter does it, whether they are PHD Holders, Masters, Degree, Diploma, Certificates or never went to school at all? Why aren't the politicians and their supporters talking about other posts and appointments since it is such a heated debate on integrity and honesty?
Of graver concerns are those appointed to be Vice Chancellors, Honorary Professors, Professors, Lecturers, Headmasters, teachers, Doctors, engineers, accountants, lawyers, judges, head of think tanks, civil societies, NGOs etc where how and where they get their qualifications and whether thru questionable means to be appointed, need to be looked into seriously.
Can you imagine Professors who are caught plagiarising other peoples work being appointed in Universities and with no shame going about their preachings? Or Vice-Cancellors not fit to be even lecturers wearing their nice long robes and headgear pretending to be Confucius or Lao Tzu or Ibn Senna?
Can you imagine being represented by lawyers or presided in court cases by judges who are known to cheated in their exams, fake credentials, drunkards or who are known racists or religious bigots?
Can you imagine audits and accounts being signed off by companies employing accountants with dubious and low standard qualifications from half past six institutions?
Can you imagine unqualified doctors treating you and prescribing medicines or even performing surgeries with a chin chai attitude? Or an unqualified dentist who only knows how to extract teeth but not how best to save your teeth?
Or engineers approving building works by contractors who just sits in the air-con office without any site inspections at least once?
Or a post of PM of a country who is a known kleptocrat, womaniser, racist, murderer, dictator, religious bigot worldwide or head of a religious party/institution where religion, politics and racism are interchangeable according to their whims and fancies of pure fantasies and guidance given by great great great great grandmother/grandfather stories and fables?
So, why concentrate only on the post of a Deputy Minister? Dig it all out and see the whole rotten system over 60+ years of poor leadership, maladministration, close one eye, dishonesty, total lack of integrity, unmoral, unethical attitudes etc.
Lying, cheating, misrepresenting, dishonesty, unprincipled seems to have become the norm among politicians and their supporters but to ordinary folks, it's clear as day in the end that such people do not represent them in their own personal, religious or cultural values and their way of upbringing.
Luckily for some politicians, racists, religious bigots survival still, there are just too many fools also among Malaysians who are still supportive of such uncivilised and immoral characters.
Who are perpetuating this corrupted system and values of creating uncultured and immoral fools among ordinary Malaysians?
Years ago, as I was building my business, I realised that I needed proper training in Accounting.
ReplyDeleteSo I took a part-time LCCI London Chamber of Commerce Diploma at Stamford College. Later I took another course in Financial Management.
Solid, unpretentious training in Accounting and Finance at a working man's college.
It has helped me build a multi-million Ringgit business.
I have never had to pretend to possess any fancier qualification.
And certainly sufficient grounding in Accounting and Finance to understand the exposure of the dishonest Financial maneuverings carried out on 1MDB..
So many graduates of Auta universities claimed the 1MDB scandal is too complicated for them to understand and dismissed it as Fake News.
What RM42.0 billion? Stop membawang will you please.
Delete