Wednesday, April 14, 2021

The Khat-Jawi controversy - Pot calling Kettle Black

Malaysiakini:



DAP accuses MCA of organising protests against Jawi lesson in 2019

The DAP has accused MCA of manipulating the issue over the introduction of Jawi script lesson in vernacular schools in 2019 when Pakatan Harapan was the ruling government.

Its organising secretary Anthony Loke claimed the MCA action had sparked widespread anger among the public including educationist groups.

He alleged that MCA had mobilised school boards and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) to hold protests nationwide in 2019.

"Why did the Jawi script become a major issue? It was because MCA was behind the scene, playing up the issue," he said during a live streaming interview session organised by the National Professors Council.

"Back then, the party mobilised all school boards and PTAs of the Chinese (primary) schools to put up banners and hold demonstrations.

"It was as though the nature of the Chinese schools could be changed by including Jawi script in textbook," he said.



DAP organising secretary Anthony Loke

Loke added that now, MCA has been silent after it became part of the federal government.

"Today, they are with the government, but they have no issue (with Jawi script lesson). I want to ask: has the three-page Jawi script lesson disappeared from the textbook now?" he said.

"I mean the Jawi script is still in the textbook but it has yet to become an issue to the Chinese community. (Educationist group) Dong Jiao Zong does not hold protests.

"I have not heard about the issue for one year even though it was once a double-edged sword to DAP where one side accused us of not taking care of the Chinese, while the other side used the issue to scare the Malays," he said.

"But when we are no longer in the government, this is suddenly a non-issue," he said.

"This showed that someone had manipulated the issue. Without a political player stirring it up, it would not have turned into an issue.

"If we can debate the issue rationally and provide a good explanation, it would not be a problem to me," he said.

In mid-2019, it was discovered that the Harapan administration had agreed to proceed with the previous administration's plan to introduce seni khat or Malay calligraphy into the Primary 4 Bahasa Malaysia syllabus.

The decision was greeted with heavy criticism from the non-Malays, who believed that the move was related to Islamisation and would burden their children.

Then education minister Maszlee Malik initially refused to budge, stressing that khat was part of the Malay heritage and that the lesson involved only six pages in the textbook.

Eventually, the Harapan administration buckled under pressure and switched from an introduction to khat to an introduction to Jawi, involving only three pages.

Vernacular schools had the choice of opting to teach Jawi based on the three pages through the consent of parents via their votes.

Last July, Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin said the government would re-study the issue


Wah, vellee good one this KHAT - do you know my son is Finance Minister? Atuk vellee genelous lah!



3 comments:

  1. UEC bagaimana....? Sekarang MCA sudah jadi kerajaan.....Tunggu 60 tahun lagi.....?

    QUOTE
    Wee to table motion for immediate recognition of UEC
    By Mohd Anwar Patho Rohman - July 18, 2018

    KUALA LUMPUR: ......MCA will table a motion for the immediate recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC).

    Forming the main thrust out of seven motions proposed to be tabled, it seeks for the Education Ministry to give recognition to UEC so that students with the certificate can apply to enter public universities for the 2018/2019 intake beginning September.

    The motion would be put forward by Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam).
    UNQUOTE

    QUOTE
    TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020 UEC a priority? Mah asks for more time

    MCA deputy president Dr Mah Hang Soon today refused to state whether he would pursue government recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate as deputy education minister. After being sworn-in as a senator this morning, Mah was asked three times by reporters on the matter and dodged the topic.

    Reporter: Previously MCA said they were on the last mile for UEC recognition. Do you see hope since MCA is back (in power)?

    Mah: To me, whatever has been said... My focus now is to, well, focus on my job. Like I said, I'm not someone who likes to talk a lot. Those who know me know that I'm the one who prefers to focus on my job. So give me some time.

    Reporter: Will UEC be your top priority?

    Mah: Give me some time. I need to... Number one, to get to know this job description first and I will certainly give my utmost, my best.

    Reporter: Do you think you can do what (your predecessor) Teo Nie Ching could not do in regard to the UEC issue?

    Mah: Let's not deal with other issues. Give me some time. Let me get on the job and we will see. Thank you very much. I will certainly do my best to assist my boss, the education minister, in delivering our mission and vision.
    UNQUOTE

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  2. I don't see anything wrong with Lim Kit Siang pointing out that MCA made a lot of noise, and instigated others to make noise, back in 2019, but have gone completely silent on the issue.


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  3. Singapore's PAP 3G to 4G leadership delay sikit.

    DAP (son of PAP) 3G to 4G transition is ready. Anthony Loke, only 43 yo, will take over from Guanee in June. Gobind (47 yo) pun boleh. So many young chikus in their 40s ready to take over.

    Don't need Ronnie.

    Father Lim can retire if he so wishes. But Guanee still young, only 60 yo. Younger than Anwar (73). Can stick around for another 15 years, unless they put him in jail....sob sob...

    ReplyDelete