My heart bleeds for Malaysia too

At work, sleepy, unwell, and I came across this article over at Malaysia Today. This is my first serious post.

If you are a Malaysian and you care , read this first...Click me .

I'm a non-malay Malaysian working overseas. ME , Myself and I too witness how Malaysian Education system victimised us all.

I came from a lower middle income family, with only my mum bringing me up. I was sent to a missionary public school and then a national school for high school. During my school days, I too witness the diminishing numbers of old non malay teachers and the increase of graduate teachers who happens to be malay. Nothing bad about that because they are nice , good teachers.

My first brush with discrimination was during my application for university. I was denied entry. My results wasn't fantastic but I am way much better than some who did not so good. And thinking naively enough i've met the requirements stated in the prospectus of the university and I should easily gain entry. Before that, I was told there is such thing called the quota system and refuse to believe it. I've heard that the quota for entry is 60% bumis and the rest is for us "yang lain-lain" . Everybody knows about this, but yet no one dares to talk openly about it as it fears to spark racial violence. However, there is a ways to get into university if you want to escape the difficult Form six and the expensive colleges. And that is if you chose the unpopular courses in which you'll stand a higher chance of getting in. Ironically, thats great...who cares as long you get a paper and then a stable job....than to pursue something that really interests you. The other alternatives are not promising either, to suffer form six , which if you don't get all A's , you'll end up in courses like food engineering or forestry OR you can spend huge loads of money to colleges and twinning courses in the city, and then pay the interests when you come out to work.

Anyways ...

I end up gaining entry my 2nd try ( well, I dislike form 6 and I don't have money for colleges). I've learn alot about the racial-quota system in university and like most of us, we accept it and not to talk or fight it. From loans , scholarships to grades, exams tips, etc. Of course I do not have proof as these decisions are not transparent. Its all so dodgy. I am shocked to find that islamic studies, syariah laws are compulsory subjects in university.

Anyways, completing my education with loan from the government, I left the country to its neighbouring country. Why ? the money is better and secondly, I am given a equal opportunity here although I am a foreigner. I don't get extra benefits of its citizentry but I think I am treated better here than back home.

There are many of us , working abroad, survivors of the system. I still hear from family and friends, how form 6 5A's student was denied entry into a local University and being accepted in Singapore. I scoffed, at such system that rejects the gem and attracts the brick.

The system is like a drug for the bumis, (they can't live without it and now they want more) and it makes us non-bumis stronger as we survived it. I need to add positively that the systems does churned out good people, but generally on the larger population, it failed. The intentions are good but it was implemented poorly.

Malaysia Boleh....but boleh apa?

I long for the times when we were younger where racial differences were being cast aside and being children we share the common goal , to have play a simple game of galah panjang, jengket and police and thief.