PETALING JAYA: Concerted efforts must be undertaken to raise the level of English in schools, instead of just stressing that the standard has declined, said G25 coordinator Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin. "We should try our best to raise the proficiency level in this country, perhaps to an even higher level than during the pre­independence period. "Although it is noted that it is not possible to get everyone to the same level, there must be some realistic multi­level programmes available where schools can choose the level suitable for their students," she said in a statement issued recently. She added that improving proficiency in the language only through the English language subject in the scho

The Prime Minister announced in his Budget speech that Malaysia agrees in principle to join the TPPA (Trans Pacific Partnership agreement). He also said the text of the trade agreement will be tabled for debate in parliament, following which, the cabinet will make the decision about signing. We can be certain that those who are opposed to it on ideological grounds will remain adamant that Malaysia should not join the TPPA, irrespective of the conclusions of the cost – benefit analysis or the wishes of the business community. The ideologists will cling to their arguments that the TPPA is a U.S- led treaty; its not just a simple trade agreement; it is in fact a strategic move by the world supe

KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — Malaysia may fall behind other Asian countries if Putrajaya does not re-introduce the policy of teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects in English, a group of retired high-ranking civil servants said today. G25 pointed out that Japan’s Honda has adopted English as its official language to survive in the very competitive automotive industry, while India and the Philippines continue to teach science and mathematics in English and have gained success. “There are signs that if we do not take this bold step now we may be lagging behind countries that did not show much interest in learning the language up to a few years ago,” said G25 in a

English Language Issue in Malaysia Revisited That English is currently THE world language is a fact that even the die-hard nationalists in the country cannot argue with. So if we aspire to be more proficient in the language we are only trying to be better citizens of the world. This desire and need to be more proficient in the English language does not lessen the need to maintain and promote the use of the national language. It is NOT a question of choosing one over the other. It is the need of promoting proficiency in both languages that is the issue before us now. For those of us born before the Second World War who had their early primary education either in the Malay or English or Chines

As issue and more issues made the headlines, will there be an implosion of all the things that Malaysia had built over the years? I AM beginning to feel as if this country and its rakyat are being crushed and pummelled by wrecking balls. The wrecking ball of race and religion, of insatiable greed, of never-­ending sense of entitlements, of unpunished crimes and abuses, of ideology over rational thinking, justice, and fair play. These concerns are nothing new. What’s new is the breathtaking scale, the endlessness of it all, and the shamelessness with which the perpetrators display their unscrupulous, destructive and criminal behaviour, in words and deeds. The seeds of this rot were sown a lon

JULY 25 — The recent reports in the Wall Street Journal and Sarawak Report alleging massive corruption involving the upper echelons of the political and corporate elite of Malaysia have once again raised the question of whether or not Malaysia is a kleptocracy. The term is derived from the words ‘klepto’ — (thief) and — cracy’ (rule) and refers to a government dominated by those who use their office to seek personal financial gain, power and status at the expense of the governed. The impact of kleptocratic rulers and officials on a country is devastating. They rule with unscrupulousness and hypocrisy, and distort development planning and policy. Such rulers do not seem to have any interest i

PETALING JAYA: In the wake of several issues which have stoked racial and religious tensions, including the brawl at Low Yat Plaza, G25 believes that it is time for the Government to adopt the recommendations by the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC). "The timing and circumstances are right for the Government to seriously consider and adopt the recommendations made in the recent Report by the NUCC, after 20 months of deliberations, including its nine point key outcomes and the proposal to enact a National Harmony Law and to establish a Reconciliation Commission," said G25 in a statement on Thursday. Among the recommendations by the NUCC were increased levels of consultation between e

For a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious nation like Malaysia, peace, harmony, political stability and economic progress with social justice can only be achieved if there is racial harmony, tolerance, understanding and cooperation amongst the various communities. The government, the civil service, administrators in schools and other educational institutions, members of the various communities and the Malaysian public, each have an important role to play in promoting, advocating and enhancing racial harmony, tolerance, understanding and cooperation. Education, starting from the primary schools all the way to colleges and universities, is the basis and foundation for building a t

PETALING JAYA: The trend of adopting Arab attire and words is harmless as long as it does not drown out the Malay Nusantara heritage, says Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin (pic). Adding to the debate on whether the alleged “Arabisation” of Malay Muslims is a cause for concern, the G25 coordinator said that only small parts of Arab culture were being absorbed. “You have the overt symbols in the sense that you see a lot more people are wearing the abaya (black robe for women), and there are a lot of Arab words being used now,” she said. Noor Farida also noted that while Malay Muslims today tend to prefer words like “solat” to “sembahyang” and “iftar” instead of “buka puasa”, the changes in vocabulary

The mob violence at Low Yat and worse, the statements issued on the blogs by certain groups trying to instigate a wider racial conflict and the pathetic attempts by some individuals to justify the thuggish behaviour of the rioters as a legitimate expression of frustration on the part of the Malays, indicate all too clearly that racism is still a big challenge to peace and racial unity in the country. It is time, as Dato Sri Nazir Razak said recently, to outlaw and criminalise hate speeches and racism in all its forms. The first step towards banning racism is to recognise its existence and this must come from the very top of the political leadership, which we saw happening in the the U.S whe

AT a closed door event last month, I was called “pengkhianat bangsa” or traitor to the Malay race by the chairman of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP). DBP is a body that publishes textbooks for national schools, among other roles. The topic under discussion was “Bahasa Melayu atau Bahasa Malaysia”, and the chairman took a swipe at me, twice, in my absence, as he ended his tirade against the English language and my support for the Johor Sultan’s call for English-medium schools. It was caught on video and aired by the alternative media for all to see. I felt it was uncalled for, for a man of his standing. Nonetheless, we at the Parent Action Group for Education must be doing something right to

TAN Sri Dr Yahya Awang has taken on two major challenges. But the heart surgeon is hopeful that both of these group efforts will succeed. In the short term, he is helping to set up a structured programme for doctors going into heart surgery. His long-term goal, as one of the group of 25 prominent Malays, is a review of syariah and civil law, recog­nising the supremacy of the Federal Constitution. After 12 years in government medical service, Dr Yahya was part of the team that started the National Heart Institute (IJN) in 1992. His team performed heart bypass surgery on then prime ­minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad at Hospital Kuala Lumpur in 1989. At that time, he recalls, there was a shortag

I REFER to Tan Sri Mohd Sheriff Mohd Kassim’s letter “Boosting the good feeling” (NST, July 8). Among others, he said: “Malaysia is getting more attention in world news for the wrong reasons. Foreign journalists and investors are puzzled at the growing intolerance and the creeping intrusion of religion into schools, universities and government offices, as well as in everyday life, for they have always taken for granted that Malaysia is a progressive Malaysian nation.” Many share his view, but unfortunately, nothing can be done to reverse the situation. At the same time, he must be prepared to be criticised for his nostalgic views of the cha cha 1950s, the twist and miniskirts of the 1960s. T

FITCH Ratings’ decision to upgrade Malaysia is a piece of good news well received by the market, with much relief among the public weary of politicking. The upgrade in our sovereign rating is a recognition of the strong fundamentals in our economy and an endorsement of the government’s management of the country’s fiscal and financial policies, giving confidence to investors that, despite 1Malaysia Development Bhd issues, Malaysia can contain the fiscal deficit and achieve sustainable growth, as projected in the revised budget and the 11th Malaysia Plan. While there is much to celebrate , we must be aware of external challenges that give rise to uncertainties. The geo-politics in hotspots inv

It has been said that Islamic law and the civil law exist as parallel systems in Malaysia. The proposition, while attractive, is grossly inaccurate in law. As it stands today, the administration of Islamic law is confined to personal law for Muslims and the Syariah court is subordinate to the courts established by the Federal Constitution and under federal law, as this article will show. The Syariah court has in recent years become a prominent subject in public discussion, not least of all with the constitutional provision that “Islam is the religion of the Federation”.[1] It is vital that the history of how religion came to be inserted in the Federal Constitution be first examined, objectiv