Thumbs up to BN, PH pledges on inclusiveness, education

 

The manifestos of Barisan Nasional, Perikatan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan hold promise, pun intended.

As a voter I want to believe they will do whatever they promise, yet experience tells me not to expect too much.

Some of the pledges in the manifestos of the three parties vying to take control of the federal government in the 15th general election on Nov 19 are very ambitious, and whether they will be able to fulfil even half of them remains to be seen.

The latest to unveil its manifesto was BN, on Nov 7. It has much to offer Malaysians.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the stress on education and inclusiveness, although BN is not the only coalition to do so. Pakatan Harapan too has pledged to improve the education system and promote inclusiveness.

So has Perikatan Nasional, which plans to allocate RM2.5 billion to improve the education system to be more inclusive if it wins.

The problem is that the education-related pledges – and I want to talk only about education and inclusiveness here – largely focus on allocations, as if more money is the panacea for the ills in the education system. And that this will likely drive up the national debt is of no concern.

Among other things, BN promises to provide free early childhood education and free higher education for those in the bottom 40% income group.

If implemented, it will open up greater access to educational opportunities for those who can’t afford it. The question, however, is funding, and whether it will be applied fairly to all Malaysian citizens.

The pledge to promote inclusiveness will help erase the perception of a lack of inclusiveness, or unfairness, in various government initiatives over the past few decades under the Umno-led BN.

PH, in its manifesto unveiled on Nov 2, lays stress on multiculturalism, even promising to recognise a certificate issued by independent Chinese secondary schools. It promises to embrace diversity and ensure fair treatment for all Malaysians regardless of race or religion.

It’s nice to know that political parties are not just recognising diversity but are pledging to promote multiculturalism and unity. BN, for instance, has proposed to offer tax incentives to companies that have multiracial management teams. This is to be lauded.

Given this pledge, one expects BN, if it wins in the Nov 19 general election, to also ensure inclusiveness in the public sector.

Importantly, BN promises to make national schools the place to promote an awareness of our plural society and unity. This is one of the best offers from BN.

But it won’t be easy because many, including former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, have said that national schools today resemble Islamic religious schools and that is the reason non-Malay parents are sending their children to vernacular schools. Will BN leaders have the courage to rectify the situation?

While I am happy with the attention given to fostering harmony and an appreciation of diversity in schools, I wish whoever wins also pays attention to our universities for – as spaces for the growth of intellectuals and highly skilled individuals with good values – inclusiveness and diversity need a boost.

Before I give an example to show why this is needed, allow me to offer some background. In my column on Nov 1, I’d asked “What’s wrong with our universities?”. Among other things, I’d written about the my-way-or-no-way dress code required by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) for its convocation, and the need to respect diversity.

Following that, I received a message from a friend, with a video clip that was produced by or for UKM titled “Sumpah Anak Watan”.

It depicts several people – I was told some of them are top UKM management staff – in Malay traditional warriors’ attire. The video focuses on a fight involving silat moves and knives, reminiscent of scenes from the recent hit Malay movie “Mat Kilau”.

The fight scenes are well choreographed. There’s even a scene of a man “snapping” another man’s neck. Even words that depict violence, such as “burn them in the fire they started”, find a place in the story.

My friend, a Malay gentleman, was troubled by it. After watching the video, I was too.

For one, why is there such violence in a video clip to celebrate Merdeka? Didn’t Malaysia achieve independence through negotiations with the British colonialists?

At the end of the video, a top management official wishes all UKM staff and students a most happy Merdeka. Among other things, he calls on them to “move as a family” to attain greater achievements, adding: “The unity of all UKM staff and students is the key to UKM’s excellence.”

It certainly is a good verbal message. But why does a unity message come with scenes depicting violence? Why the emphasis on brawn, not brain, by a university?

If you go to UKM’s official website you will see students representing the three main races in the peninsula smiling at you. Next to the picture are the words: “Join us now.”

I’m trying to understand why there were no Chinese or Indians in the Merdeka video clip. Surely there are lecturers or students of other racial origin in the university? And why isn’t anything about the Chinese and Indians or the natives of Sabah and Sarawak or the Orang Asli depicted in a clip about Merdeka made by, or produced for, a university?

It’s even more difficult to understand the rationale when you know that UKM houses the well-known Institute of Ethnic Studies and is the holder of the UNESCO Chair on Social Practices in Intercultural Communication and Social Cohesion. According to the website, it co-designed the National Unity Blueprint 2021-2030 for the country, which was released in February 2021 by the government.

How is it that the “national” university – after all UKM in English means National University of Malaysia – has not seen fit to include some non-Malay citizens among the Merdeka cast? Didn’t all the races collaborate to win freedom from the colonial masters?

Are we seeing a different and narrower interpretation of “national” in our universities, just as in our schools?

I really hope whoever forms the next government takes a serious look at the direction of not just our national schools but also our public universities and sets things right. Any revamp should take into consideration, among other things, the rich diversity in the nation and future global trends. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.