more shit... Part. 3

more shit... Part. 3

Hits the current socio-economical and political situation in Malaysia right on the head, doesn't it? And yet, in some strange way, he was the man to have brought the current rut about. As Education Minister in the late 70s (if I am not mistaken) and then PM, he insisted on the KBSR/ KBSM scheme that, in my humble opinion brought about the decline of the Malaysian education system. My parents are both teachers. I hear them lament about the sorry state of students batch after batch after batch for the past 20+ years. Though it seems as though results are improving year after year, it is actually to cover up the continuing rot. He too, was the man who turned the national school system into a system so divisive that I think at LEAST 80/85% (and in some schools, 100%) of national schools consists of only one race, and forcing other races to opt out. And he was also the one who presided over the period where he changed 'Bantuan' schools (whose intake was previously controlled) into 'Kebangsaan' schools and force-fed the influx of a particular race that encouraged the further decline of those schools, specifically, and the education system, generally.

When it comes to the Judicial System, he too, made several publicly and widely criticised moves in the late 80s to further consolidate his power and turn the judiciary system into something more pro-government. This, I find very sad because the judiciary is supposed to be a form of checks and balances against the legislature and the executive to ensure that we get to be as proper a democracy as politically possible. Of course, different nations would require different forms of democracy, but the judiciary is the one branch that should be as autonomous and independent as possible. To cuckold the judiciary in an attempt to dismantle its power and role can be equated to removing the first and most important piling of one of his favourite showpiece construction projects.

Wasn't he also the one who was extremely heavy-handed when it came to press freedom?Wasn't he the man who resorted to Operasi Lalang in October 1987 that shut down 4 newspapers and detained so many men and women (if I remember right, probably approx. 100?)?

People in glass houses should not throw stones. I'm no fan of the present administration either. I think the Lord High Mighty at present should not give so much power to a man who obviously is trying to push him aside and who makes snide, arrogant, unchecked comments against other races who also help build up this country and call it home. But wasn't Dr M also guilty of cronyism and patronage? Why push for Proton and heavy industries such as steel and ridiculous showpiece mega construction projects when it costs taxpayers so much, and we were obviously not prepared for it? And we would have been better off in industries that relied more on natural resources and its' development instead? He destroyed a great deal of natural resources in the Bakun Dam Project(very sore point with me... all that natural reserve and resources!!), by giving concession to Ting Pek Khiing, and what is there to show for it? As for Proton: Why is it that Proton cars have not improved since the first Saga was introduced nearly 20 years ago? The front windows still have problems. There's more, but I am wasting blog space complaining about something that is totally useless, because no one seem to be willing to do anything about those goddamn cars.

As for more complaints on cronyism and patronage, I wonder if he is aware that Malaysia is an example cited in international financial/ corporate law papers as an example of lack of/ poor corporate and public governance, especially in the late 90s era due to buyouts (aka bailouts) and takeovers, most notably of the UEM/ Renong fiasco. Reasons cited (NOT in local papers, of course, it's just the rumour mill) for the blackout left in the wake of the fiasco for UEM shareholders? Halim Saad's ties with the former PM. Wasn't the good man supposed to re-purchase Renong's shares to appease the frothing public? Why was there silence instead?

What about the e-Valley? Why push the country into the electronics industry when obviously we weren't ready for it either, and China and India are obviously very competitive and has way greater expertise? Now our country is over-saturated with IT graduates, and there is not enough job opportunities for them.

Nope, our former PM definitely ain't so angel. He was seriously responsible for the rot that his successor has too little willpower, or too little intention, or too little ***** to rectify. In fact, thanks to KJ, it seems the rot is spreading. I suppose there is little for me to do but to sit back and watch our own political WWF with it's mudslinging, soap opera-ish screeching, screaming, back-and-forth insulting, 'crotch-grabbing' and what-nots. Should be entertaining, to say the least, eh?