Book writer accused of running down his race by exposing Malay parents unsupportive of PTA’s role

 

SOMETMES truth is so difficult to swallow so much that mathematics and history writer Megat Hisemudin Megat Kasim was demonised for ragebait and sucking up to DAP being for this two-liner on his Facebook page:

The Chinese save money for education (but) many Malays are deceitful even with PTA (Parents Teachers Association) money. The Chinese consider education to be a “hundred-year-old tree”.

As expected, rightists bombarded his post with accusation of running down his own race with one commenter claiming that “those who evade paying PTA fees are not many”.

“There is no need to ‘highlight’ this. Comparing the weaknesses of one’s own race by praising other races doesn’t even raise awareness within the Malay race. In fact, it widens the gap between races,” snubbed one commenter.

Another commenter chided the trained civil engineer for “making blanket generalisation (pukul rata) of the Chinese and Malays”.

“There are Malays who’re contributing as educators, for example in PASTI (PAS-run kindergarten) and schools in Terengganu and Kelantan … that’s why East Coast education is the best of the best every year,” claimed one presumably PAS loyalist.

One disgruntled parent denied the poster’s claim given “I’m Malay and have toiled to settle all (PTA) fees when some Chinese parents are calculative in paying as they expect free education”.

For context, Megat Hisemudin was delving on the allegation of of a school in Senawang, Negeri Sembilan withholding the SPM results of a star candidate for not paying a PTA fee.

This followed a viral TikTok clip claiming that the pupil only received an empty envelope without the official certificate during a ceremony.

However, the matter was put to rest by the state Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun who attributed the matter to “a slight misunderstanding and confusion of information between the pupil, the school and the PTA after the Pupil Excellence Awards ceremony”.

This is when one commenter who claimed to have been a PTA president concurred with Megat Hisemudin that “in fact, many (Malay parents) are deceitful for I went through it”.

Another who claimed to be a PTA committee member in a secondary school made up of 80% Malay, 10% Chinese and 10% Indian pupils revealed that PTA collection only stood at 38%.

“Very sad … finally transferred the child to international (school). Sad story for Malaysian education but the child can’t wait for the reform,” lamented the Chinese father.

As one Chinese mother put it, the poster’s has good intention to spark awareness “so that the Malays can develop in a more positive and progressive direction”.

“Truth can be bitter. Married and divorced until the child finally follows the father/stepmother … But the mother and biological father have each re-married many times,” observed the presumably teacher herself of a real-life story.

“Handed the child over to the grandparents to take care but didn’t provide for the expenses … till the grandpa who’s old has to work as a security guard so the grandson has money to spend in school.

“Not to highlight but the feeling of both hurt and pitying Malay children and worrying about the future of Malaysia. Hope my words don’t offend anyone. What I’m stating is a true story.”

Interestingly, Megat Hisemudin who himself had his primary education at SJKC Chung Hwas Parit in Perak before pursuing his tertiary education at the National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan acknowledged in a subsequent FB post that he was “whacked left, right and centre for belittling my own race”.

“However, only with this kind of satire will we be able to wake up from our slumber,” he concluded. 

- Focus Malaysia