ITM - UiTM

Last month i touched on ITM before it was upgraded into UiTM. And with the upgrade the current students lost their benefit of free meals four times a day, instead it was replaced by a meal coupon for RM4 per day. Everybody was so engrossed with the name change - championed by the so called fighters for the Malay rights, UMNO - that they did not realised that we had to forego the Bumiputeras' benefit we had enjoyed since the sixties when ITM or RIDA was first established, and at the same time we had to allow KTAR to be upgraded into UTAR.

Few years back we had also opened our doors at MARA junior college to non-Bumiputera, also championed by UMNO. We, Malays are very tolerance and able to let go of our special privileges. We had already given up the universities admission quota system for meritocracy system.

Now, there are proposals to open our only Bumiputera higher education institute to non-Bumiputera! To me this is too much. There are already 20 public universities open to all (some open to international students) and there are quite a number of private institutions and universities, where the students have to struggle with meritocracy.

First they ask for 10%-20% quota, afterward 30%, later on based on meritocracy, then what is left for Bumiputera?

As an ex-student of ITM, I don't agree with the latest proposals. All ex-student of ITM had benefitted from ITM; corporate leaders, politicians, top government servants, businessmen. During my time it was very competitive with only four public universities, UM, USM, UPM and UKM and we had to compete for scholarship funds. The only alternative for us was ITM - the saviour for the hardcore poor and up to lower middle class family.

Keep your hands off UiTM, the last Bumiputera's bastion...

ITM

UMNO and Pas are talking with each other, BUT why in secrecy? what is the agenda? Talking about Malay agenda? Each party actually needs to do housecleaning and maintenance first. First, Umno has done a lot of damage to the Malay unity and the supposedly wealth distribution was only distributed among themselves, the hardcore poor remain poor.

Talking about the Malay Agenda reminds me of Institut Teknologi MARA (ITM).

Umno made a grave mistake in upgrading ITM into Uitm. It was supposed to be an exclusive Bumiputera institution of higher learning, to help the hardcore poor especially those coming from rural areas. The student had all the convenience of hostel facilities- although some have to live in dormitories, food served free 4 times a day at the dining hall, all other facilities are similar to other universities. But since ITM was declared a university, no more free food, except a subsidy of RM4 per day. Previously ITM student only worried about exams and tests, never about what to eat and where to eat. Now with only RM4 in hand, what can one get, by breakfast time RM2 was spent; RM1 for teh tarik, RM1 for roti canai or nasi lemak. Another RM2 for the rest of the day.

Some may argue that now they have the facilities of PTPTN, yes true, I agree partially because we have to remember that PTPTN is not free. It bind the student with debts even before they start their working life, what a pity. What if the student fail to get a job after graduating? It is a burden to the lower income family expecting their children to improve their live instead an extra burden of repaying their debts.

The government should be more prudent in their decision, not just looking at status, a university status is nothing compared to the long term impact on the Malays and the Bumiputeras. I hope there will be an alternative to ITM, instead of setting up a new ITM, focus on Polytechnics as the new exclusive Bumiputera's higher learning institution.

Review Teach Math&Science in English

I strongly feels the teaching of Math & Science in English should continue, BUT i felt that the implementation should be reviewed.

Children born among the urban, middle-upper class families will have no problem in understanding and adapting to study in English, especially those english speaking families.

What about those born in the rural areas, where the parents are illiterate in English, how are they going to guide their children?

To me, please let the Children understand English in their first year, teach them the Mathematical jargon - addition, add, plus, increase, decrease, subtract, minus, divide, multiply, times. I saw my daughter's first year mathematic book: plus, add and addition was used - for a non-English speaking kids this is really confusing.

Please do your study or research down on the field, go to Kampung-kampung and meet all the rural teachers get feedback from orang-orang kampung and rural teachers. Upgrade all those government kindergarten - Tadika Kemas & Perpaduan. Get on your feet, we don't need assumptions and behind-the-desk research. Put yourself in the rural and lower income group shoes, you will understand better.