The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion
The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion |
| Sharifah Zohra Jabeen, I challenge you to a debate! Posted: 17 Jan 2013 04:04 PM PST JAN 18 — You were way out of your depth. It was obviously clear. And that was the reason why you had to pull the microphone away from KS Bawani when she was speaking. But you definitely had no awareness of this, I'm sure. You thought you were all that in your sophisticated-looking pantsuit and fancy title of President of Suara Wanita. Trying to go for a SW1M? Try not to sink instead! You were at a university, Universiti Utara Malaysia, an institution of learning where people go to (where most of them are actually legally adults) obtain an education. You were a part of a panel at a forum. A panel forum, which I'm very sure, had an objective to bring forth discourse and intellectual discussion, and to share that with the students. The forum, which was titled "Seiringkah Mahasiswa dan Politik", had given the panellists a chance to speak, and also had a session that was open to the floor, a chance for the students to speak. If the panellists were allowed to share their thoughts and opinions, then by all means, the members of the floor should be given that chance too. It is a forum anyway. What right did you have to stop a person from speaking? What right did you have to pull the microphone away from someone when she is speaking? Is it because you are older? And this is considering the fact that you said to Bawani that she had to learn to respect her elders. Respecting elders doesn't mean blindly following what they say. Respecting elders is also feeling the responsibility to correct them when they are wrong and heading down the wrong path. Or did you feel you had a right to pull the microphone away because you thought it was your forum? And, to you, this meant that only you had a right to an opinion? I really felt that you were just scared. You were scared because suddenly, there was this young girl dressed casually in a long sleeved T-shirt and jeans who could articulate better than you. I think you felt threatened because this young girl was sharing opinions that were so well thought out and clear that the rest of the attendees might just have been persuaded by her. Probably the desperation that you felt was so intense that you couldn't do anything else but force her to keep quiet by pulling the microphone away from her so no one could hear her. You were a big bully. You didn't even have the decency to let her finish speaking and then counter her opinions with your own. But then again, you didn't have much to say. You just ranted along about how those who didn't like the state Malaysia is in to leave the country. Come on! How stupid do you think people are? And what is it with the animal analogy? I don't even want to comment on that one! Basically, you didn't even have quality rebuttals for Bawani. You just bullied her away from the microphone. So here's the deal. Let this column be an open call to you, Sharifah Zohra Jabeen Syed Shah Miskin, President of SW1M. I want to challenge you to an open debate, on a topic of your own choosing. I believe that I am a very fair and open-minded person. I can accept a lot of different opinions, and agree to disagree, with many people. I'm a good listener too. So don't be afraid. I promise I won't pull the microphone away from you and instead will let you speak your thoughts, because that is what matured people do. And when it's my turn to speak, you better listen, listen, listen! * This is the personal opinion of the columnist. |
| Posted: 17 Jan 2013 03:56 PM PST JAN 18 — I was at a friend's wedding banquet recently. I should add, a Chinese wedding banquet. Naturally, I was placed at the table for vegetarians. As I was walking towards my table, I realised what exotic animals must feel like when we gawk at them in zoos. At my table sat a few Chinese couples, perhaps with cholesterol problems. We exchanged small pleasantries before they went back to their private conversations. It is wonderful to be underestimated sometimes. Even better when people think you don't understand what they are saying. The couple next to me said this in my presence, "Wah… uu huana lai ciak cipeng ah. Ee bo kia tio liak meh? Cheng pek bo cincia che lo." (Wah, a Malay here. Isn't he afraid he'll be caught by those wearing white skullcaps? There are many of them nowadays.) I leaned sideways and whispered back: "Mai kia. Ee lang be liak wa ce-lang. Ai liak tiok liak kaliau lang. Lan kalio khun laibin lokap ki-me lo." (Don't worry, they cannot arrest me alone. They'll have to arrest all of you for being accomplices too. We can all spend the night in jail.) Their eyes went very round for a moment, then disappeared as they broke into laughter. Funny how they accepted me into their clique after that little ice breaker. More than 50 years after independence, we still behave as if we are the only people living in this country. It's amazing really, what imagination, ignorance, and years of systemic segregation can produce. Instead of assimilation and fostering racial camaraderie of our future generation, we separate them by even refusing to let them share the same playground and canteen in schools. It makes you wonder why we even bother ourselves with the National Service, the 1 Malaysia, Malaysian Malaysia slogans when we institutionalise and participate in an education system that promotes segregation to keep the status quo. The sceptics and opponents to such an idea will argue that we need communal schools because the national schools are found wanting in many areas. They will also highlight the fact that the right to a communal education is enshrined and protected in our Constitution without which will inevitably lead to the extinction of their culture. Yes, to a certain extent they could be right, but isn't it amazing to see where their priorities are? Also amazing is the naive belief that this separation could logically, and rationally, go on forever without bearing any national repercussions and effects. If only they realise the futility in remaining within their racial cocoon, they will want to push for a unified education system instead of opposing one not only for the sake of Malaysia, but the future of their children as well. The argument that we need separate schools to preserve a certain culture certainly does not hold water. You can always teach culture, extra languages without having separate schools. Do it in the afternoon, weekends if necessary. Give cultural lessons and languages taught enough importance when awarding students overall grades in school, or as an important criteria before awarding scholarships and entrance to tertiary centres. I may be wrong but what better way to preserve your culture than to teach it to others? Get the Malay and Indian boys to learn Mandarin, the Chinese Tamil apart from the mandatory Malay and English language in schools. Start with a few states first and roll it out in stages after a while and watch how multinational companies fight to set up shop within our shores and woo our young generation into their midst. Can you imagine how valuable our graduates can potentially be? The minimum wage would appear silly compared to this. If only we recognise the talent now, and tap into our diverse culture, we would be a force to be reckoned with. The days of "'you and your race, me and mine" is nearing extinction thanks to globalisation and the borderless world concept. The sooner Malaysians come to terms with it, the better. Some say let us cross the bridge when we get there. I say build the damn bridge now. There will always be opposition to such a big move but the government must take a tough stand on this. They have after all done it before whether it was vis a vis PPSMI, Lynas, purchasing of submarines, they have refused to bow to popular demands, citing national interest at the heart of their decisions. So why bend over when it comes to creating one school for all? Political survival at play? "Malaysians are not ready for it yet" is the common answer when we know none of the political parties will ever be ready. Since the responsibility lies squarely on the rakyat's shoulders (as always), I hope to see the formation of an NGO for a start, to create awareness among Malaysians and dispel any misconceptions they have regarding a single-school system. As the number of Malaysians who support this venture grows, political parties across the divide will have to reinvent themselves to stay relevant with current trends and times. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in outlining the challenges to achieve vision 2020, has listed the creation of a Malaysian race as the No. 1 challenge. I wonder if and when the government will hire consultants and form a KPI on that? * This is the personal opinion of the columnist. |
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