What grade does Faisal deserve for Abim’s role on race, religion?

 

I have known Bersih for many years. I have never heard of anyone making an SPM-like report on its activities. I also do not remember any of the leaders using this kind of demeaning manner of showing its views to a sitting government.

Grading and comparing prime ministers based on reforms carried out is simplistic and speaks volumes about the “simple minded” nature of the present Bersih leadership.

Well, since the new Bersih leader, Faisal Abdul Aziz, likes to issue report cards and demeaning people with “D” or “F” grades, let us see how he himself fared as the 2019-2023 president of Abim (the Malaysian Islamic youth movement) with regard to racial and religious conflicts in this country.

Let me first be very clear. I abhor giving grades to people outside of my undergraduate and master’s classes. If I had my way, I would even eliminate grading at universities. Heck, I would even eliminate grading at the schools both primary and secondary.

After 40 years of teaching, I find grading of students to be distasteful and demeaning. I would rather write a report on where they are good and where they may have to work a bit harder.

Would you tell your boss?

Can we imagine ourselves grading our spouses? What grades would you give to your children? Your colleagues? Your own bosses? Better yet, tell your bosses and spouses and children what grade you gave them.

It seems that Bersih has no qualms and no heart at all at giving “D” right in front of the prime minister’s face. Would the leader of Bersih have dared to do so when Dr Mahathir Mohamad was in power? Oh, I forgot, Bersih favours Mahathir to Anwar.

When one grades another person, if one has to at all, one must understand that one must be better than that other person in the job being graded.

Am I to understand that Faisal can be a better PM? Who would even elect him as an MP? Faisal or Bersih do not even have a political party and RM500,000 in deposits to contest 50 seats.

How is it the grader does not know the job of the one graded? How come the grader gets to grade an experienced politician while the grader himself has zero experience in politics and government administration? To me, it is a travesty when this happens.

Abim’s role

Now let us look at Abim and whether it has helped or has offered little help in all the explosive racial and religious conflict in this country.

I have followed conflict after conflict for more than 20 years and I always pray that Abim as an Islamic reformist movement would come to the forefront mitigating these conflicts.

Lo and behold, the NGO merely issues simplistic press statements or in some cases no statement at all.

I also checked YouTube to see if Abim specifically would take to the social media but again no such luck. Maybe there were a few videos but I do not remember any that became viral.

For me, most of the racial and religious conflicts have been caused by the Malays; Abim, being an all-mostly Malay entity, should be able to take an active position

If I were the Abim leadership, I would lead a delegation of four or five Malays well versed in religion and just have a nice conversation with the likes of Dr Akmal Saleh, Abdul Hadi Awang or even Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor.

But there has been no effort by Abim towards active mitigation. There is always a joint statement of concern.

What grade for Abim, Faisal?

Now, my question is how do we grade Abim and Faisal in this matter? Would we say a passing grade of “D+” or a failed grade of an “E” or an “F”?

I would never grade the movement or even Faisal; to me, grading is rather demeaning.

I would rather say that I wished Abim would take a more proactive and active role on issues of race and religion since their former president, Anwar Ibrahim, is now the prime minister.

I say again, in conclusion, that the manner Bersih has treated the prime minister and the unity government is demeaning, childish and worth not even a cent in terms of integrity because the graders were never in the position of those or the person being graded.

And, anyway, if Faisal does not see fit to grade his wife or children “C+” or “B-” I do not understand why he is quick to grade others in this SPM-like manner.

As an educator, please stop this grading nonsense. If you do not like someone or something, just explain yourself. Do not insult us with this childish and outdated way of assessment. - FMT

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