Correct or politically correct?

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Read the statements in full -Results out -- International Maths and Science scores (TIMS)

Similarly, the Washington Post (12/10,
Glod) reports, "Results of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science
Study (TIMSS), released today, show how fourth- and eighth-graders in the United
States measure up to peers in dozens of countries. U.S. students showed gains in
math at both grades." Specifically, "the average score among fourth-graders has
jumped 11 points since 1995, to 529." Still, "students in Hong Kong, Singapore,
Taiwan, Japan, Russia, and England were among those posting a higher average.
Hong Kong topped the list with an average score of 607." Meanwhile, the "average
science performance" for students in the U.S., "although still stronger than in
many countries, has stagnated since 1995."

Following my postings on Mukriz Mahathir's suggestion where I was asking some hard questions on his thinking process, stumbled upon the latest ranking result for fourth ( Standard 4) and eight graders (Form 2). One of his suggestion was in parotting his father's direction to have science and maths taught in English (non mother tongue). Both Malay and Chinese nationalists insists that it is the wrong strategy. So, lets look at the result and compare the medium of instruction in their public school system.

Hong Kong ( Mother tongue - Mandarin)

Singapore ( "Non mother tongue" - English)

Taiwan ( Mother tongue - Mandarin)

Japan ( Mother tongue - Japanese)

Russia ( Mother tongue - Russian)

England ( Mother tongue - English)

Could not find England's education detail in wiki and my informed guess is that the language would be English.. hehe.

Anyway, based on the ranking (which Malaysia is obviously not included) of results in both areas seemed to point that those who studied English and Mathematics in their mother tongue ( Grade 4 & 8) do perform better.

While Mahathir is very good in politics and have brilliant ideas, the educationists do have a point. Other researchs have also point towards using the language of the native towards teaching science and mathematics. This dipstick analysis is not conclusive yet the array of evidences are there to support this argument. However, we should not discount the robustness of the syllabus and the effectiveness of the governance that contributes to the result. Politicians that refuses to engage their brain to look at data and research before making judgements are just plain lazy. Some are calling Mukriz stupid, but I think he is a smart man but careless with facts.

So, do we want to do the right thing for our education system or do the politically correct thing?

From Malaysiakini
Cheras saga continues - toll operator vows to rebuild wall
May 26, 08 6:37pm
Toll operator Grand Saga has today vowed to rebuild the concrete barricade to block a toll-free access road to the Cheras-Kajang Highway in Bandar Mahkota Cheras (BMC).
MCPX
Notice is hereby given that the company will be constructing the barricade this week,” said Grand Saga’s executive director Zainal Abidin Ali in a terse press statement.Zainal Abidin, who is former Dang Wangi police chief, said that Grand Saga had constructed the barricade in 2005 “to prevent unlawful access” to the highway through the access road from BMC.
In April 21, the original barricade was demolished by the outraged residents with the help from BMC developer Narajaya.However, an attempt to rebuild the three-feet high wall by Grand Saga - for the third time - on the night of May 8 was abandoned after volleys of tear gas were fired at an angry crowd.Residents have accused the riot police of siding with Grand Saga in the dispute. Four days later, the residents failed to get the High Court to restrain the toll operator from re-erecting the barricade.Zainal Abidin (right) said the court, in throwing out the injunction, had noted that Grand Saga has the right to build a barricade “within its indisputable concession area”.“Members of the public are advised to respect the decision of the court,” he warned.The new Selangor government has however argued the area where the barricade was built on was part of state land and questioned Grand Saga’s right in erecting the barrier.

'My message to the police is - UMNO, and their toll operator and fellow corporate friends, do not pay your salaries'. In my former post, the writer wants to know why our police acted without restraint against the residences. What is the motivation that the Royal Malaysian police were seemed defending corporate interests than rights of citizens.

If the executive director of the said company was a former police chief, would that be a satisfactory explaination? In business world, it could fall into a RPT ( related party transaction).

Latest Body Snatcher - No Justice to the Family

In the new paper, He claimed he visited his father when all the sibling are not around. Can he swear with his GOD name that he does this? All this while my PIL are staying with my other BIL in Klang. They will only go back to Sban on weekends or School holiday. When they are back we tried to have a gathering for the family but how come we dont see him at all. IS he too visible for us to see him? If you claim that you visited your PIL enough to make them agreed with you for the conversion only GOD know…. Read More ( The anguish of a Family member)

Here is my comment on this issue:

This is a loop hole that the islamic authorities need to close. I am going to be a bit ‘naughty’ and suggest this scenario. Since a Muslim can only inherit another Muslim’s property and non Muslims are not able to, it will motivate a nasty person to use this loophole to obtain property in the eyes of the syariah law.

The same with the law on divorce when someone can divorce their spouse and not pay alimony + get custory of children + whatever property... just by converting. What greater motivation can this generate to?

More facts of the case

Justice and Fair play for the family of Gan Eng Gor (deceased)
1. Our father was seventy four (74) years old. He suffered a severe stroke in 2006. He was as immobilized,bedridden, mentally unsound, cannot speak, partially deaf and has very poor vision.
2. We transferred him to stay with one of our brothers in Klang. Our aged mother looked after, bathed andfed him. She also helped to look after our nephews and nieces.
3. Our father died on 20th Jan 2008. As Gan Hock Seng (the eldest son) is a member of the family, we informed him of our father’s death. He was then told us that our father is a muslim, we were shocked and did not believed him. So we continue to perform the wake service as our father have never led a muslim life. The Majlis Agama officers came and attempted to snatch the dead body, all our family members more shocked and angry, we resisted and strongly protested against the removal of our father’s body.
4. We obtained his alleged conversion papers from Majlis Agama the second day.
5. We were advised by our solicitors that there are serious irregularities in the said conversion papers especially the Declaration of Conversion into Islam.
a). The declaration was before a Pegawai Ukhuwah. His rubber stamp was on the paper but that officer did not sign.
b). Further there was no signatory at the certification column.
c). There was an illegal alteration on the date to 3rd July 2007.
d). The thumb print was questionable as we are certain that our deceased father was in Klang and not at the address No. 451, Taman Megaway, 70400 Sikamat, Seremban as stated in the application form.
e). His address stated in the Borang Perakuan Memeluk Islam is No: 1272, Jalan TBK 6/2, Taman Bkt Kepayang, 70200 Seremban, the residence of the eldest son. We wish to state that our father has never resided at this address.
f). The Majlis Agama Authorities claimed that our deceased father made an oral declaration in Arabic accepting the Muslim faith. Our family has medical confirmations from three doctors that our father was unable to speak.
g). We were asked to appear before the Syariah Court Seremban, we believe the Syariah Court is for Muslims only.
h). We refused to attend at the Syariah Court on a matter of principle as non-Muslims. We refused to submit to the jurisdiction of the Syariah Court.
i). The Syariah Court made a unilateral declaration that our father is a Muslim and is to be buried in accordance to Muslim rites.
j). We filed an application at the High Court Seremban to adjudicate on the validity, authenticity, veracity and legality of the conversion paper especially the declaration of acceptance into Islam.
k). The High Court Seremban dismissed our application on the ground that he has no jurisdiction to hear this matter as the subject matter falls within the purview of the Syariah Court. We beg to differ.
l). We were indeed shocked and aggrieved at the simplistic way the High Court disposed off this matter. We only seek justice, fair play and to find out the truth on his alleged conversion.
10. The eldest son Gan Hock Seng converted to Islam years ago. Our father and mother had strenuously opposed his conversion.
11. This eldest son had allegedly converted our father without the knowledge of our other and all other seven siblings.
12. Further, the eldest son had NEVER taken care of him physically and financially. He hardly visited him too.
13. Even if the eldest son had converted our father, we like to ask :
i). Why is it that he did not take care of him and brought him to stay in his house to lead a Muslim life?
ii). Why did he allow our father to continue living in a non‐muslim home in Klang ? Our father had never prayed and continued eating pork and other non‐halal food. He never revealed to anyone that he has converted to Islam.
iii). Why he as a Muslim, did not ensure that our father (if he had been indeed converted) led a Muslim life ?
iv). Why is it that the Agama Islam authorities did not visit and follow up with our father – the alleged new convert, after his conversion?
14. We believe we have been unfairly treated by our eldest brother and the Agama Islam authorities in this alleged conversion of our father. If there had been a conversion, we firmly believe that the Agama Islam authorities should have informed all members of the family. There should not be a fight over the body of dead person. There should be dignity and respect on the dead person.
15. We hope the PM and the higher ups in the Islamic Authorities review this case and to ensure that the truth is unraveled. We hope that all conversions to Islam is fair and transparent and made known to all the next of kin of the convert.
We Seek Justice, Fair play and Truth in this matter.
Let Gan Eng Gor be the last body-snatching case in Malaysia. The Cabinet Ministers should stop shirking their responsibilities to the people and nation and should place the Gan Eng Gor case on the top of Cabinet agenda on Wednesday to put an immediate end to all “body-snatchings” in Malaysia.

Flip Flopping Abdullah Government

The government has decided to go against its initial decision, so ALLAH is again exclusive to Malaysian Muslims. If you are a non Muslim or a non-Malaysian Muslim, you should not use this word. Wait, you can say it but not write it down or read it. (huh!?)

Actually, am tired to continue writing about this issue. It is like a yo-yo of emotion. When you think that the country management has got the facts right ( from expert inputs etc. ) , they let you down again. This time, the raison de taire is paraphrased to "since the law is already there, we need to uphold it". Wow, since when Malaysian government cared so much about its law or even constitution!! We just changed our constitution to allow an 'independent' Election committee chairman to last till he conducts the next General Election.(oh, he even knows the date of the election even though the PM does not) We even have a law that outlaws oral sex. Are we going to uphold that against Chua Soil Lek?

Christians: Allah ban hurts Malaysia’s moderate Muslim image
“Allah” may mean “God” everywhere else, but not in Malaysia
Anger over Malaysia 'Allah' ban

Double shame
Christians in Malaysia are shamed!!

Last Christmas it was the small issue of turkey that happens a week before Christmas creating an artificial shortage. Yes, the cry was against imported turkey that does not have "HALAL" certifications ( what?!) so this year turkeys cost 3x more since nobody wants to import them anymore. This is chicken feed.

So, the government decided to go one better this year!
1. Prior to Christmas 2008 - Ban on the usage of Allah word, hold the Catholic church and East Malaysia Evangelical Church to ransom. These 2 churches decided to ask for justice through our blameless courts.
2. In public Christmas message, Gerakan lap dog acting president Koh Tsu Koon asked "Those who celebrate Christmas" to "respect Islam as the official religion".
3. On Christmas day, Prime Minster Abdullah Ahmad Badawi did one better by reiterating the ban on the word "Allah" in a Christmas muhibbah open house organized by the Council of Churches Malaysia.
This is textbook PR faux pass.

In YOUR Face!
Who cares about what Christians think or feel? And they keep thinking aloud!
The government will now show you the Ketuanan Melayu, chew your Christian bones and spit it out! :)
That is too strong but that is about it.
Thanks for treating your citizens in this honoured way. In fact, we would not know of this flip flop if not for internet. As our belated Christmas present, would like to issue a call to all Christians in Malaysia to use the next General Election as a referendum AGAINST the ruling party. The ruling party will do all the best to shower you with promises and gift but remember this moment when you cast the vote. The fact is shown that promises will be broken & rules / laws/ constitution will be bent when they got your vote. This Caesar does not deserve our vote and support.

Lina's Response

This is a serious degradation of our rights. Kudos to CJ Sabah/Sarawak Richard Melanjum for spotting the many mistakes of the defence case. There is no point if majority decision is again used as both other Judges would not want to stir up problems and drive down their popularity vote. Since the assault on Judiacy in 1988, the Malaysian legal careers are more interwined with politics. How sad.

Nation Thursday May 31, 2007
Lina unhappy with decision
KUALA LUMPUR: Lina Joy is extremely unhappy with the Federal Court judgment.
“I am disappointed that the Federal Court is not able to vindicate a simple but important fundamental right that exists in all persons; namely, the right to believe in the religion of one's choice and equally important, the right to marry a person of one's choice and to raise a family in the Malaysia context.
“The Federal Court has not only denied me that right but to all Malaysians who value fundamental freedoms,” she told The Star, through her solicitor Benjamin Dawson.
“I am hoping that my case would have made a difference to the development of constitutional issues in the plight of many others.”
Asked whether she would leave Malaysia for good, Lina, who is believed to be overseas at present, said: “It would extremely difficult to exercise freedom of conscience in the present environment.”
Lina, 42, was born Azlina Jailani to Malay parents. She was brought up as a Muslim but at the age of 36 became a Christian.
In 1999, she managed to change the name in her identity card to Lina Joy but the National Registration Department retained her religion in the card as Islam.
On April 23, 2001, the High Court refused to decide on her application to renounce Islam as her religion on grounds that the issue should be decided by the Syariah Court. It also dismissed her application for an order to direct the department to drop the word “Islam” from her identity card.
On Sept 19, 2005, the Court of Appeal, in a majority decision, also rejected her appeal.

The day Islamic Law is higher than Malaysian Constitution

Apalling!! My rights are taken away just like that! With the line of argument that Islamic law was here earlier than British Laws, the lawyers for government and both consenting Muslim judges forgot that our country .. Malaysia .. was build with the integrity and respect of the law of the day. If this set of law did not help us to come to our state yesterday, which set of law did? The Syariah law? Untill year 2000, the syariah law is on par with traditional courts of Sabah and Sarawak. And today, Syariah seemed to supercede our Constitution.

Islam has higher status in Malaysia
PUTRAJAYA: Islam has a higher status than other faiths in Malaysia, said a lawyer holding a watching brief for the Malaysian Muslim Lawyers Association.

Pawancheek Marican said Article 11 of the Constitution restricted propagation of other religions to Muslims.
“Our Constitution favours Islam. Islamic law is part of the law of our country,” he said.

Another lawyer, Zulkifli Nordin, who is holding a watching brief for the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM), said there were rules for Muslims to follow before they could renounce Islam.
“These rules are the Quranic law and the sunnah,” he said.

And again, the argument that something earlier is better and correct. If that is so, i guess the Hindu and Buddhist law should be even earlier. Or the traditional coursts in Sabah /Sarawak should have the same weightage.

“We have to take into account that Islam was here from the 13th century. The Malay Sultanate became Muslim and, later, its people,” he said, adding that the system was interrupted with the intrusion of colonial powers.
“The law that was applied then was Islamic law and several centuries later, Malaysia became a fully Islamic country.”
He said everything about the Malays then was governed by Islam and Malay customs. On the other hand, British law was limited and based on Christianity.
“Unfortunately, the British were the stronger party and had their way on what should be Malay customs and Muslim law,” he said, questioning the need to conform to the British legal system after the country’s independence.

Sulaiman said the Malaysian Constitution was unique in that it had a special place for Islam.
He added, however, that Muslims could not declare their renunciation of Islam without the involvement of religious authorities because there would be Constitutional repercussions.
“For instance, one may declare himself a Muslim in the morning and by the evening he is not a Muslim. Or, he is a Muslim when it’s time for zakat and not a Muslim during the fasting month,” he said.
This prompted Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim to ask: “Are you saying that a Buddhist can be a Buddhist in the morning and a Christian in the evening?”
Sulaiman answered there was nothing to stop anyone from doing so.

So, should there be something that stop people from doing so ? Either other religions have their own courts but fundamentally, stopping someone from doing the thing that they decide is already against the spirit of freedom. And in specific to religion, it is against article 11. CJ Ahmad is not wise enough to spot that.

He said several legal representatives of non-governmental organisations had, in their submissions last week, made attacks on the position of Islam.
“That is a total reversal of what the Government had set out to achieve,” he said.
The NGOs had supported the view of Justice Gopal Sri Ram, who gave his dissenting judgment in the Court of Appeal, that the NRD’s refusal to make the amendment in Lina’s identity card without an order or certificate from the Syariah Court was null and void.

I believe it is not attacks on Islam as the respect on the constitution requires it.The challenge is the arbitary changes that happens , deviating from the original intent of it. It is a defense against a system designed to do so. So, is Sulaiman admitting that the government has a hand in this?

Anyway, i believe this is the best 50th year Merdeka gift that all non- Muslims receive from our government. The court is not only leaking water this year.