Change To Survive, Malays Told. But Will The Umno Government Let Them?

'Merdeka', 'Merdeka', 'Merdeka'. These cries of independence are set to reverberate nationwide when Malaysians celebrate the 51st anniversary of the country’s independence on Aug 31.

However, the celebration this time is amidst the turbulent political scenario in the country, in the aftermath of Malaysia’s 12th general election held last March 8.

The hurly-burly in politics was common in the growth of a country, however we must know how to differentiate between party-based politics and issues faced by Malaysians, especially the Malays, said the Chairman for the executive committee of the Malaysian Historical Society, Datuk Omar Hashim.

"This is most crucial. If a person is able to differentiate between these two issues, then he can make wise judgements.

"The political party’s mission or focus is to win elections, while the people want everlasting protection, peace, food as well as livelihood and self esteem," he told Bernama this in an interview here.

CRITICAL THINKING

Omar, who had served as the Education Deputy Director-General from 1985-1990, said Malaysians in general and the Malays in particular need to be able to think critically.

"Critical thinking is able to differentiate the good from the bad, the repugnant from the pleasant as well as the nonsense from the truth.

"Our education system has all of these in subjects like Arts, History and General Paper but we want to emphasise on the teachers and lecturers to focus more on this critical thinking," said Omar.

Omar is the principal figure behind the move for the Malaysian education authorities to take over the management of the SPM/MCE examination from Cambridge University in 1978.

He also played a key role in the implementation of the National Education Policy, in the efforts to reinforce the Malay secondary schooling and Bahasa Melayu under a general examination system.

CHANGE ATTITUDE

Omar also calls for the Malays to change their attitude and stand on their own feet.

Read the whole article HERE.

***** Datuk Omar Hashim may be sincere in his advice, but it is in the long-term interest of Umno to maintain a certain amount of ignorance among the 'chosen ones' as well as keep dependence on the government a permanent feature of Malay 'progress'. Beggars apparently can be trusted to show more gratitude than the well-heeled.

What will happen to the party if God forbid, all the Malays become industrious, self-sustaining individuals who actually start thinking for themselves instead of being force-fed on a daily diet of Umno propaganda and partially crippled by official pampering and government-distributed largesse? What a political nightmare that would be!

Critical thinking and attitude change may be good for the rakyat, but I don't think that the government is too worried about inculcating it right now. Nor do they feel the urgency. You see, the Malays have not yet reached the 'level playing field' and therefore are not ready for sweeping changes lah brudder! Perhaps by the next century. If they're lucky.