Of Chinese School Policy & More...

Well, given that we are hot on the issue of Chinese and vernacular schools at the moment (see here and here), I thought I'd also point you guys to a short interview by Oon Yeoh with Khoo Kay Peng on the recent controversies around Chinese schools. Kay Peng is the Executive Director of the Gerakan think-tank, Sedar Institute, of which Kian Ming was part of prior to his departure to Duke for his further studies.

On a slightly related note, you might remember that I wrote on the storm brewing over vernacular schools, whereby the Chinese press were given specific instructions from publishing news on the corruption in the repairs carried out at the schools. Well, MerdekaReview.com has managed to obtain a copy of the letter providing the official instructions, which I shall reproduce here:

Tuan,

PENYIARAN BERITA MENGENAI ISU TIMBALAN MENTERI PENGAJIAN TINGGI, DATUK ONG TEE KEAT

Adalah saya dengan segala hormatnya diarah merujuk perkara di atas.

2. Kementerian Keselamatan Dalam Negeri ingin menarik perhatian tuan berhubung penyiaran berita, rencana serta ulasan akhbar-akhbar harian berbahasa Cina arus perdana tempat mengenai isu Timbalan Menteri Pengajian Tinggi, Datuk Ong Tee Keat berhubung peruntukan sekolah jenis kebangsaan Cina (SJKC).

3. Berdasarkan kepada pemerhatian Kementerian ini, isu ini telah disiar dan diperbesar-besarkan sehingga menimbulkan salah-faham serta mengelirukan pembaca sedangkan perkara ini telah pun selesai berikutan Menteri Pengajian Tinggi, YB Datuk Mustapa Mohamed telah memohon maaf kepada Menteri Pelajaran, YB Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

4. Pendekatan pihak akhbar memanipulasi dan mensensasikan isu ini adalah dikhuatiri boleh mewujudkan kesangsian dan kehilangan keyakinan rakyat dan masyarakat terhadap kerajaan dalam menyelesaikan masalah rakyat. Sehubungan itu, Kementerian ini ingin mendapatkan kerjasama daripada pihak akbar tuan dengan serta-merta berhenti daripada membangkitkan isu berkenaan.

5. Kerjasama dan sokongan tuan dalam perkara amat dihargai dan diucapkan ribuan terima kasih.

Sekian.

"BERKHIDMAT UNTUK NEGARA"

Saya yang mengikut perintah

(Che Din bin Yusoh)
b.p. Ketua Setiausaha
Kementerian Keselamatan Dalam Negeri

It's quite interesting some of the words which are utilised - "memanipulasikan" and "mesensasikan", if they are not a corruption of Bahasa Melayu with the English language, I'm not sure what is. I'm not even sure if you can find these words in Kamus Dewan! :)

Anyway, there's a simple reason why the Government has decided to restrict civil discussion of corruption in the implementation of Chinese school repair projects by the Ministry of Education. And it has nothing to do with the unsolicited apology by Datuk Mustapa Mohamed on behalf of Datuk Ong Tee Keat. It has to do with the fact the ultimate losers of the leakage of up to 90% of the funds allocated for repairs in Chinese schools are the upset Chinese community.

As a result, instead of promoting greater transparency and encourage greater exposure of corrupt practises, the corrupt contractors and officials get away scot free. Why? So that the position of the incumbent Minister(s) and the leaders of the major Chinese political party will be protected. Sigh.