22 theSun | WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 17 2008

speak up!

t h e s u n s a y s

Continue teaching science and maths in English

THE debate on the decision to
teach science and mathematics in
English commenced even before the
subjects were actually taught in that
language.
It continued even after the pupils
began to be actually taught the sub-
jects in English and the policy is still
being debated six years later after
the recent UPSR results showed that
pupils can actually learn the subjects
in English while at the same time
acquiring proficiency in the use of
the universal language.
The debate is likely to continue
even if the Education Ministry finally
decides that the policy is to continue.
It is unlikely to end until those who
want the subjects to revert to being
taught in the pupils’ mother tongues
get their way.
The government has organised
several roundtable discussions since
the middle of last year to seek a
consensus among the more than
200 participants who are politi-
cians, academics, cultural activists,
representatives of NGOs and parent-
teacher associations on whether
some adjustments and compromises
could be made with regard to the
present policy.
There has been no consensus as
there is unlikely to be any consensus
on what national schools mean. In
fact, how can there be one consid-
ering the varied background of the
participants and the varied interests
they represent. But their views and
objections have been noted and it is
now left to the Education Ministry,
aided by a panel of educationists, to
decide and make recommendations
to the cabinet.
It is not going to be easy for the
government to decide. On the one
hand there are legions of reasons
on why the policy should continue
in its present form and on the other
the possible consequences of aban-
doning it after knowing that children
can actually learn science and
mathematics in English, after
spending a lot of money on equip-
ment and after having trained nearly
enough teachers for the purpose.
Of course the government is
also aware of the consequences
of ignoring the representations of
those who are against the policy.
In fact, all policies and suggestions
relating to education since the
Barnes, Fen-Wu and Razak reports
and recommendations on education
of the pre-Merdeka days until the
recent ones have met with all kinds
of controversial and angry reactions
by the various interest groups.
To these groups all new proposals
regarding education are suspect and
have hidden motives and the teach-
ing of science and mathematics and
projects like vision schools are no
exception. As such they have in a
way hamstrung many attempts to
unify our education system and align
it with our nation-building efforts.
In view of this sometimes it may
be necessary in the interest of the
future of our children and the good
of the nation for the government,
advised by a panel of independ-
ent-minded educationists, to make
decisions independent of these
interest groups.

letters

Heroes and villains of a tragedy

letters@thesundaily.com

Hear us out
I REFER to “Daunting task for new
mayor”(Down2Earth, Dec 16). I think the
people of Kuala Lumpur are a lucky lot to
have Datuk Ahmad Fuad Ismail as their
new mayor. KL-ites could not have asked
for a better mayor.
He is known to practise consultation and
that is what most ratepayers look forward
to. We have had enough of those who say
“read my lips”.
We want chiefs who talk to us and hear
us out. I think Fuad has all the qualities.
Bulbir Singh
Seremban
Appeal for tax relief
NOW there’s retrenchment news and every
employer is planning on some kind of
cost-saving measure.
Some companies will not be able to
avoid laying off their employees.
The government should stop taxing
retrenchment compensation. It’s not right to
tax people who have lost their jobs during a
downturn.
C. Keong
Puchong
IF visiting the Bukit Antarabangsa area
was not depressing enough, hearing from
victims makes you angry, your blood boil
and perhaps make you scream. Then, when
you read Dr Mohamed Rafick Khan Abdul
Rahman’s blog, the disgust, hopelessness and
despair for our system sinks in. You wonder
what the future holds for our society. But
in all this negativity, there was some hope
– groups and individuals who cared for the
victims of the landslide and others who were
affected by it. There is a thick line between
those who came to offer their services and
those who came to ride and take advantage
of a tragedy and the small-minded politicians
who were there to score Brownie points
and the minions who were there to be seen
and heard by news crews. Let me tabik the
unsung heroes like the security guard who
went door to door ringing the bells as the
hill came crashing down. Rafick has a list
of others on his blog. (http://rights2write.
wordpress.com/).
On Saturday afternoon, driving along
Jalan Hulu Kelang and the side roads told
me something: Many just don’t care if the
world comes tumbling down as long as
there’s money. They are paying no heed to
the statements of the prime minister and the
mentri besar. Life goes on as usual. They’re
still cutting the trees and levelling the hills,
never mind that people have lost their lives
as a result of the same actions as long as
profits are made. They make statements and
justify their wrong-doing with highly-paid
spin doctors at their side. Nothing will
change – there must be returns on their
investment.
Interestingly enough, I read that one
developer said: “I journeyed back to my
Standard Six days. When one of the boys
was caught copying in a monthly test, our
CitizenNades
by R. Nadeswaran
teacher, Mr B M Dass
made us all write
the following in our
exercise books: What
does it profit a man if he
gains the whole world
but suffers the loss of
his own soul? The book
has disappeared but A tent set up at Bukit Antarabangsa
those words I learnt in
1962 are still embedded in my mind and I
have never missed using this when dealing
with the greedy and the corrupt.”
I don’t want to repeat what the good
doctor has said in the blog but all I can say is acceptable norms that ought to set the
that it is the bitter truth. The so-called relief
centres were plastered with banners and
party symbols. The last rites for the dead
may have been carried out, but in tragedy
and death, they descended like vultures who development plans and those that are duty-
smelt blood. Politicians were fighting to feed
themselves and their supporters instead of
giving priority to the hundreds of victims
who were cut off from the rest of the world.
Even medicines for the needy were held
back because they “belonged” to the party.
But most important of all, is anyone
checking on the development nearby? Isn’t
the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) friends and homes, these steps will come
sending out its officers to carry out checks
on hillside development? On Saturday,
even when it was raining, I noticed tractors
carrying out work near the zoo. As a
layman, I cannot differentiate between
“remedial works” as the developers call it
and hill-cutting. Can the “experts” in MPAJ
get off their cushy seats and start working?
After all, your salaries come from the people
and not from developers!
Then the Real Estate and Housing
Developers Association (Rehda) has the
audacity to propose a special one-stop centre so, but Datuk, can someone answer the
for hillside development. What on earth for?
Hasn’t the prime minister and other officials
decreed that hill clearing must stop? Haven’t » WHAT were these people doing in my
the four lives and many more before them
taught us several lessons? What is Rehda
trying to prove? We’ve heard enough of “if
done systematically, there is no danger”
and “it has been done successfully in
Hongkong”. It is a government policy and it
has to be implemented and there is no need
to consult any party. Did the government
consult the thieves before making theft an
offence under the Penal Code? Enough is
enough. Stop the lobbying of those in power.
Enough of the spin. Do your bit for society
as a whole by leaving hillslopes untouched.
Perhaps, members of Rehda should
note what the Bar Council president said:
“Putting profits before people must cease. It
is time that the government adopts a ‘rights-
based approach’ towards protecting the
peoples’ rights to sustainable development
and environmental protection. These are
benchmark in our drafting of planning
laws and implementation of development
policies.
“Further, those that approve
bound to protect our environment and the
people must be called to account. Their acts
may amount to criminal negligence which
the police ought to investigate.
“The authorities must be serious and
must immediately bring in tough, no-
nonsense measures. Tragically, however,
for those who have lost their loved ones,
too late.”
Lastly, this is an appeal to developers.
As human beings, you must have feelings.
Respect the dead, the injured and their
grieving families.
*****
SELANGOR police chief Datuk Khalid
Abu Bakar says it is not proper to accuse
rescuers of looting just because they
are at the landslide scene. Nobody said
three questions posed by Thanarajah
Kanagaratnam on Monday?
house at 7pm on Sunday when the search
and rescue operations were called off at
6.30pm?
» HOW come my clothes are on hangers
and put out to dry?
» WHY did they have to touch my personal
belongings?
R. Nadeswaran is Editor Special Reports &
Investigations at theSun. Feedback: citizen-
nades@thesundaily.com
Editor’s note: Thanarajah’s cousin Ravi
Poobalan who took the pictures of the
rescuers near the collapsed bungalow was
questioned by police for an hour yesterday.