I would like to share excerpts from a reader’s article in the Views section of The Star newspaper dated 30 April 2011.
Prof Dr M Fazilah Abdul Samad from the Faculty of Business and Accountancy, Universiti Malaya wrote an article on “Stemming the Brain Drain”, a topic which has been in the news of late. Malaysia is losing her best brains to other countries.
The Prof mooted the idea that the Malaysian School system has to change and in particular the history books in the primary school syllabus should be rewritten. Here is what she has to say:
“ Reintroduce and rewrite our history books in the primary school syllabus and do not let them memorise numbers and dates.
Let them remember stories instead. Blend in the historical figures from all the three races. Introduce Admiral Cheng Ho as a hero and how, together with Hang Tuah, they rebuilt the Malacca Sultanate.
We should add romance in out history books by having Hang Li Po falling in love with the Malacca sultan. Perhaps we can rope in Indian history, too.
We want a sense of belonging instilled in everyone. We want everyone to feel that their forefathers had a share in the building of the nation.”
She goes on to talk about instilling self-pride and a sense of belonging, of “ keeping meritocracy alive. No more “preference given to bumiputras”.
I think she has hit the nail on the head. If meritocracy is the norm and everyone is given equal opportunities; when there is no more talk of “pendatang”, no politicizing of issues and manipulation of racial sentiments and incitement to hatred by playing on people’s fears, the brain drain will be staunched. Malaysia is a paradise that is being destroyed by people who are too selfish and self-aggrandizing to see that their actions are robbing the younger generations of a sustainable future. Future generations could be going down the drain instead.
Having been born and bred in Malaya, now Malaysia, after extensive travel to many other countries, near and far, there is truly no place like home. Home is where the heart is, and to most Malaysians, even though they may be residing elsewhere on foreign soil, Malaysia is still home. Nostalgia is always there, when Malaysia and one’s kampong is mentioned, Malaysians will wax lyrical…..ah, the good old days, the superb nasi lemak, the char kuay teow, nasi bryiani, apam, curry fishhead, chendol, ABC, etc etc
To be Malaysian is to be truly blessed. Let us leave something good for our descendants.
Prof Dr M Fazilah Abdul Samad from the Faculty of Business and Accountancy, Universiti Malaya wrote an article on “Stemming the Brain Drain”, a topic which has been in the news of late. Malaysia is losing her best brains to other countries.
The Prof mooted the idea that the Malaysian School system has to change and in particular the history books in the primary school syllabus should be rewritten. Here is what she has to say:
“ Reintroduce and rewrite our history books in the primary school syllabus and do not let them memorise numbers and dates.
Let them remember stories instead. Blend in the historical figures from all the three races. Introduce Admiral Cheng Ho as a hero and how, together with Hang Tuah, they rebuilt the Malacca Sultanate.
We should add romance in out history books by having Hang Li Po falling in love with the Malacca sultan. Perhaps we can rope in Indian history, too.
We want a sense of belonging instilled in everyone. We want everyone to feel that their forefathers had a share in the building of the nation.”
She goes on to talk about instilling self-pride and a sense of belonging, of “ keeping meritocracy alive. No more “preference given to bumiputras”.
I think she has hit the nail on the head. If meritocracy is the norm and everyone is given equal opportunities; when there is no more talk of “pendatang”, no politicizing of issues and manipulation of racial sentiments and incitement to hatred by playing on people’s fears, the brain drain will be staunched. Malaysia is a paradise that is being destroyed by people who are too selfish and self-aggrandizing to see that their actions are robbing the younger generations of a sustainable future. Future generations could be going down the drain instead.
Having been born and bred in Malaya, now Malaysia, after extensive travel to many other countries, near and far, there is truly no place like home. Home is where the heart is, and to most Malaysians, even though they may be residing elsewhere on foreign soil, Malaysia is still home. Nostalgia is always there, when Malaysia and one’s kampong is mentioned, Malaysians will wax lyrical…..ah, the good old days, the superb nasi lemak, the char kuay teow, nasi bryiani, apam, curry fishhead, chendol, ABC, etc etc
To be Malaysian is to be truly blessed. Let us leave something good for our descendants.
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