In Malaysia, it seems that no one is encouraged to write or to think. Our imaginations are suppressed. Once you start writing or speak up your mind especially against our bloody government, oh boy, won’t you get into trouble. The authorities can’t wait to get their hands on you at mere sentence against them. Basically in Malaysia, you are not allowed to ‘think’, to ‘write’, to ‘speak’ or ‘to let your imaginations run wild’. We are restricted in many ways not only during our adult years, but these restriction nonsense actually started when we were in school.
Dear readers, whether you realize it or not, the government is really trying to control the way we think and behave since we’re still bratty school children through our education system. The education system that is implemented is actually shaping our children’s mindset and attitude. Everything actually started in school, in the classroom.
When we were in school, we are taught to shut up and just memorize whatever the teacher wrote on the bloody blackboard. They don’t care whether we understand what they are teaching or not, as long as we can remember long enough to jot down whatever rubbish they feed us during examination.
I daresay that most of the school kids these days barely understood what they are taught in school, but they simply memorize what they are taught because that’s the way to survive the academical beast known as exam and tests. Passing and excel in a certain exam is a priority. Thinking is not. That’s the way it has been, and always will be in Malaysia, unless someone is powerful enough to do something to change it.
Primary as well as secondary school kids are not encouraged to think out of the box. Right brain users, usually students who excel in creative and language field are usually deem inferior in comparison to those who are good in mathematics or physics. Creative students who actually ‘thinks’ and good in art or literature are often looked down upon by teachers and parents alike.
They call students like this as stupid daydreamers who have no hope in the future. They are convinced that people like this will end up being unsuccessful in life and teachers will give trouble to students who have such criteria pretty often instead of encouraging them to express themselves.
Heck, even yours truly gets into trouble pretty often during her school years, just because she’s talkative, loves to ask a lot of questions as well annoyingly creative with her words in her writings and essays. The teachers who taught me when I was in school probably threw a party once I left school, as they finally get rid of one talkative students who constantly leaves them deadpanned with her questions and musings.
Leaving school to further my studies, I discovered the joy of thinking and being creative all over again. I have freedom to think and express myself through various medium to a certain extent. As a working adult, i even thrive on writing.
Thinking back, I would seriously enjoy studying in school more if I were to allowed to think and express myself better. Unfortunately, Malaysian education system restrict us from doing so. Isn’t it sad? School is supposed to be a place for lifelong learning, not a place for memorizing whatever that is taught to you or whatever outdated information that is is written in the age old textbooks that you’re forced to carry every damn day in your schoolbags whether you use it or not.
Seriously speaking, we not only need a better government who can govern better and improvise our political weather and stabilize our economy so that our standard of living could be improved gradually, but we also need a major revamp in our education system that emphasize too much on academical achievement.
I say, we need an education system that produce well rounded individuals, not an education system that produce students who could not think out of the box and incompetent to face the world when they leave school. What say you?
Cleffairy: I do not feel that expressing oneself through writing or imagination is a crime. Without people who bothers to write about what happened during a certain time, civilization certainly would not survive long enough to be known by the next generation. Civilizations and knowledge about ancient buildings would be buried in the sand if writings about it were not discovered.
the US and Malaysia education really huge different, especially when i see how the kids in US grow up, they speak up everything, even when they are so young, the girl that i taking care is an example, she only 6 year old…
I really agree with you, Kikey. I used to hv my primary education oversea, so when I came back to Malaysia, I couldn’t fit in, because most of the time, I was told to shut up by the teachers most of the time for asking questions! Outspoken students are regarded to nuisance in Malaysia… 🙁 we are taught to be timid and scared…which is a sad thing. 🙁
Something is definitely wrong with our present education system! The kids r too spoon-fed and exam orientated .. not allowed to think for themselves let along give their views as individuals .. soon we’ll have a nation of robots .. all with same mindset. I too received an overseas education (not that I made good .. laziness & playfulness was my downfall (:) and I used to think the British education system was the best. Australia was of a lower standard in those days (I experienced both). I also think Malaysian parents are over-protective. Summor all that tuition stuff .. you don’t see that in Western countries. Hope your tummy is better, Cleff .. weekend again .. don’t over-eat this time
studying is most important, i agree. but is it an essential tool for work. a definite no. we study history, geography, add maths, etc….pass with flying colours…..but in the real world nothing of that matters. we are still working our asses off being bullied by our peers and bosses. even if you have a cert, diploma, masters and what not…..no one gives a hoot about those papers. its just for job entries and then you can put it aside. but nowadays, to enter into a job without papers is so difficult.
about 10 years ago, for a posting of a clerical position in a bank, you only need an pass in spm with credits in english, maths and bm. now, you need a diploma…..for christs sake, you study so hard to get a diploma to get a clerical position….wth is wrong with this world. i know that companies want to be recognised in ISO, but what about those who can only pass spm and cannot further their studies. family no money, cannot get scholarships, no subsidies….how the hell are they going to get a job. the govt is forcing them to work in dumpsters, mpk, mppj and so forth. especially for those living in the rural areas. rich blardy bastards get scholarships to further studies overseas, they go there and play around, pay somme more money to earn a degree and come back being scumbags…….kanasai!!!!! this is a cruel, cruel world we live in…
I agree. Malaysians are hardly articulate, most of them become so when they have acquired overseas education and exposure.
Malaysians also have a narrow primal view on alot of subjects, if not all.
How sad seeing how young we are in the world which is growing far to fast for us to catch up with.
I personally think we are not far from being deemed doomed.
oh tell me about it…
Fergie… of course something is wrong with our education system… LOL… they are turning our children into studying, emotionless robots. And it’s getting worst with each passing day. When I was in primary school… around std 4, tuition classes are just introduced in Malaysia education system, and back then, my parents did not give a damn about it until it became a more convenient and popular way for teachers and parents alike to drill students into passing exam with flying colours. It used to be a supplement of what it was taught in school, but not anymore. Today, tuition is deem necessary. School children are forced to go to tuition classes whether they like it or not, and kids who do not go to tuition are deemed not competitive by teachers and peers alike. When I see kids these days going to school, stay back for some extra curricular activities and straight to tuition after that never cease to amaze me. I wonder if their parents even have compassion for them. The kids are force to adhere to Malaysian education culture, going to school before the sun even rise and came home only after the sunsets. I thank God every day that I do not have to go through the hell kids these days goes through. Hmm, my stomach ah? Not yet okay lah… still giving problems. LOL…omg, dunno how lah, tomorrow still got open house to attend. Makan-makan again. LOL.
Calvin…exactly my sentiment. Diploma, degree, all those papers does not indicate on how street smart you are and how well you will survive in the working world. I have always believed that paper recognition should not be put a priority when you are hiring someone. It’s usually interpersonal communication skill that is actually essential in the working world. Our education system does not concentrate on that.
Sad to see that these days, before hiring, the interviewer definitely would like to see paper recognition….back then, just by having a diploma and degree on hand, one would definitely be secured with a high pay job, but these days… even a degree does not seems to hold any value. 🙁
Those people who cannot afford to continue their studies after SPM due to their bad results or financial problems, really kesian lohh, really hard for them to survive… people like them, really have to struggle to make a living, unless of course, they are anak tauke lah, can inherit bapak punya kedai. LOL. 😛
Muhammad M. Fauzi… yeah, most Malaysian are inarticulate until they are exposed to other country’s form of education. Malaysian mindset are hard to change….if we want Malaysian to be able to compete globally, we would need to start early…during school, where children’s mind can easily be shaped. If nothing is to be done with our spoon-feeding education system that emphasize too much on academical excellence…our country definitely would be lacking experts that can compete globally. You’re right, we’re actually not far from being doomed.
U-jean… I trust even in university level they are still spoon-feeding?
Yes, even in university level, these kids nowadays is still spoon feed by the university.
i’ve seen a lot of them, no matter in public university or private university, they are all the same, and the think they r smart. if they bother to look back what their senior back in about at least 5 years back, they r working hard to learn. these students nowadays just refuse to learn, the reason is very simple, they get used to this kind of learning habit which they r not required to think, hence, they had totally become rubbish who though they are very smart now.
teachers in school is the 1 who should be blame, as well as the education system of Blolehland. I still remember when i was still a student in secondary school, the only chance for me to use my brain to think is during writing essay. other than that, i was forced to just follow.
for u information, i was a computer teacher in a primary school b4 for about 9 months. and i am damn frustrated.
I found that the text book is having wrong information about the 32bit processor and 64 bit processor. until Pentium D, only it has become 64bit, but in that book, it saying that Pentium 2 is 64 bits which it is totally wrong!
of course i tell the students the info is wrong as i do not wan to teach something which is not the facts, and i reported to my superior about the book’s error, guess wat? i was fucked off by my superior and i was asked to just follow the book no matter it is correct or wrong. and that bitch is insisting that everything in the book is correct while she just know how to teach according to the book while i was already in computer work for a long time b4 i started to become their teacher.
wah lau e!
and i found that i am not allowed to told my students that there is other OS like MacOS and Linux other than Windows. i once told my students b4 about this, and i was fucked offby my superior for this as well. she said student are only allowed to know that windows exist, they r not allowed to know about the others. mah cibai, teaching something which it is not the facts, how are we going to have a new generation that can really think properly and do work properly!?
I never listen at all =_= most of the time either sleepy or duno what they talking about LOL btw jie I was school prefect so I owez escape class go tangkap student or go canteen chill xD secondary school rocks!!!
Actually, what we learned called – “History” – is riddled with half truths, lies and falsehoods. There are someone who once said “what is history, but fables that are agreed upon” that to sum up that quote, it is accurate to say that winners write history -their story that they wanted us to believe.
Going to deliberate on your message, -rigidity of emancipation is equally real here in Malaysia. In the US as commentator “kikey” elucidated – the freedom to promote and rights of exculpatory emancipation are spelt clear and respected under the US Constitution. (S)He probably ever dwells in the US. However, “The US Bill Of Rights”which guarantees everyone residing on US soil the right to privacy was supplanted by “The Patriot Act” which was enacted by President G.Walker Bush to eavesdrop private e-mails, mails, telephone conversations and other tetes-a-tetes after the Sept. 11 bombings that riled many Americans which resulted the said Act to be reviewed – the resultant- “Minion US Patriot Act” which gives those who dwells in US soil more liberty from being “spied on”. Sorry to digress a bit. 🙂
Here, it’s rather what “THEY” wanted you to say, concomitantly what you should say than your liberty to say, write, emancipate. As for Raja Petra, I can absolutely understand why he often prevaricated during police questioning because whatever he said to justifiy does not matter anymore.
I didn’t want to use the same e-mail which resulted the pop-up icon to be so ugly in my previous posting. I asked three of my family members and they all vouched that I ain’t that ugly. 😀
Thanks.
A Man
Sorry to dissapoint your friend, nicked “U-Jean” when I took a brief tour through you links, -she looks like a female MAO TZE TUNG and I am telling the truth.
A Man,
I demand that u apologize to U-Jean, no matter how she looks like, u do not have the rights to insult people like this!
Garfield…lol…our education system doesn’t encourage thinking or problem solving in critical and creative ways, that is why there are so many assholes out there with recognition piece of junk on their hands thinks that they are so high, mighty and so full of themselves. Being used to the spoon-feeding culture, learning seems to be irrelevant and unnecessary to them…until one day, they entered the working world, they are forced to learn and adapt to the working environment that requires loads of thinking.
Majority of teachers in Malaysia are not trained to teach and nurture students with knowledge that is proven a fact, but instead, they are forced by the education system to follow whatever it is dictated on the textbook, whether the things that’s written on the text books or reference books used in the classrooms are correct or not. What’s written, then that’ s what they are expected to teach their students. That probably explain your experience as a teacher. Good teachers who tries to nurture students with real knowledge probably would not survive well in education industry. This is Malaysia, after all.
Seng….you’re naughty lorr, that’s why dunno what the hell the teacher was teaching… but jie think it’s a good thing that you din pay much attention also. Probably wud the teacher taught is full of rubbish. Ahaha… cannot believe that you were a prefect when you were in school. Sure salah guna kuasa alot wan… your jie last time head librarian…want to ponteng? No problem, anytime can, because jie got keys to the library…. owez lepak there during classes that jie dun like and the teacher hardly notice that jie’s gone… ahahahahah 😛 jie think we both oso quite same when we were younger. Now old liao… wan ponteng cannot liao… nv work no $$$. 😛
A Man, you know, actually any idiot could figure out that history that’s written in our books are half baked truth and bias…it doesn’t matter what their educational background is. I did not bring this matter up because I don’t think that it’s necessary to mention it as it would insult my reader’s intelligence over here. Most of them are well aware that history are actually ‘written’ by so and so who have control over the writer. They are even politically aware of what’s going on in Malaysia than me. But since you mention it, well… yea… history is written to make certain party look powerful and good…dictating their power and glory, and in certain cases, how big is their penis and and how large is their asshole too. When the Brits were in power, Malaya history depicts local patriots as traitor and vice versa.
There is no such thing and liberty and emancipation in Malaysia, not if the authorities can help it. It’s a way for them to put a dog collar on the citizens. I’ll excuse you for your lack of information on Kikey. She’s a woman, so it’s safe for you to refer her as a ‘she’ in your future reference towards her. She may be residing in US, but she’s a Malaysian, no less. I guess, there’s no absolute privacy in any part of the world, since you mention it. Law does not fully protect everyone, I supposed, as loopholes are everywhere.
As for RPK, I am not sure what is your real intention of bringing him up in a discussion related to Malaysian education system but but I must say, at least there’s still a man in Malaysia whose crotch still haven’t been crushed by the ones who wishes to hide truth, opinion and whatnot from the public. I admire his courage to speak up and fight for what he believe, unlike so many people who show sign of cowardice at a mere threat from the authority. While he may be perceive as fighting the government now, I doubt that he will not do the same too if he finds out dirty little secret about the opposition.
And as for your commentary on U-jean’s physical appearance, I have learn long time ago that physical appearance or sexual attraction have no absolute reflection on certain individual’s personality. One may look like Mr/Miss Universe, but may be incapable of behaving like a respectable human. Perhaps, you have yet to discover about this matter. I have a sneaky suspicion that U-jean don’t give a damn about how people interpret her appearance, as she’s quite a liberalize woman in person. She earned my respect without even trying. 😀
By the way, fret not about the gravatar… it’s mere icon generated by the server. It does not reflect who you are in person, does it?
Thanks for your concern Garfied and yes, I will make corrective amelioration concurrently with an apology to “U-Jean”. In fact, U-Jean might looks more beautiful having long hair. I just can’t stand it when she shaved like Sinead O’ Connor. But sorry for being rude. ;).
Thanks in advance for your kind understanding. 😉
Thank You.
A Man
That was rather rude of you, The Man. This person known as U-jean is not even your acquaintance, why should she dress up or style according to your fancy? You can’t stand tomboyish women who have short hairstyle, i suggest you keep it to yourself. Your preference towards women should be addressed to your own circle of women who you’re involved with, not with strangers who you’re not even introduced to.
Angel… it’s all about conscience, manners and proper upbringing. Beauty, I believe, lies in the eyes of the beholder.
“Your preference towards women should be addressed to your own circle of women who you’re involved with, not with strangers who you’re not even introduced to.” -Angel
In most of one night stand, most are strangers who know each other, go to bed and choose whether they wanted to continue the sexual relationship. I am just being responsible as a humble man in implying “U-Jean” to style herself in long hairs. Isn’t that fair? How am I gonna turn on if she looks like a tomboy (your own words). Yah hahahahhaahhahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahhahaaa
aahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahaha. ;D
Thanks.
A Man.
Heh… one night stand usually means one night only. Fuck and then bye bye. As for your sexual fantasy as to dream about having sex with strangers, that is your own business. If you are incapable of having an erection, why would you still be calling yourself A Man? LMAO. By the way, you’ll have pepper spray on in your eyes and a knife cutting your balls before you could even get near to U-jean. She’s kinda masculine kind of gal. Not everyone is a bitch in heat, you know. Some girls are decent. Perhaps you’re out of luck in meeting decent girls who don’t throw themselves at you in their first encounters.
Cleffairy,
In your reply(October 6, 2008 at 4:19pm) to Angel you implied -“it’s all about conscience, manners and proper upbringing. Beauty, I believe, lies in the eyes of the beholder.”
Now, please don’t resort to insulting my parents. They have nothing to do with this.
Sorry if you felt that I was referring to you, but that reply was not referring to you though. I was talking in general term. Not so sure why you felt offended.
@A Man,
please do read properly,
1. she didn’t mention anything about ur parents
2. there is no words like “parents” or “kurang ajar”
3. she didn’t mention even ur nickname.
so u can’t say that she insulted u or anything
I don’t have to further argue in futility.
A bit of a sorry would solve the matter and reflected your/s honesty.
When Angel wrote on the undersaid post calling me rude even after I had apologized to Garfied in good spirit, who do you think she (Cleffairy) weighted her response in an insulting way:-
AnGeL Says:
October 6, 2008 at 4:02 pm
_________
I surely can understand you all are friends and would be siding with one another, ask 100 person, you will see whether that crude reply was intended to insult my parents.
However, it’s a small matter and I even overlook the matter if not for incessant assault on me/ my parents. 🙂
I will end this as my last visit to your blog. Thanks for your time anyway. 😉
And Garfied,
You wrote:-
@A Man,
please do read properly,
1. she didn’t mention anything about ur parents
2. there is no words like “parents†or “kurang ajarâ€
3. she didn’t mention even ur nickname.
so u can’t say that she insulted u or anything
_______________________
You really makes me laugh for your bias and faulty conscience. 😉
Well… A REAL Man wouldn’t cower under anonymous emails and such, and also, would definitely voice up his opinion towards the person in question, and not behind people’s back. And no, these people in my blog are not my real life friends, I only met u-jean face to face for less than 10 minutes for that matter.
As for Garfield, he knew that I always threw rhetoric sentence towards people, it’s just too bad you felt that it was directed to you. Most of all, he’s a man who knew law pretty well. Only you knew that you were brought up by your parents, not me… for all I know, this is Internet, I do not know you in real life, and I’m aware that one do not have to have a parent to be brought up…they may be orphans for all I know. Since you admit it yourself that you were poorly brought up by your parents, what can I say? It was you who said it, not me. You did not get caught having your hands in the cookie jar, but you told people that you stole cookies from the cookie jar.
Hi A Man… is it just me or is it funny to address someone like that?
I’m a close friend of U-Jean’s, and be it stranger or not – if you really knew her, you’d know that your remarks would just amuse her, if not the rest of us. It takes guts to pull a stunt like hers – she knows comments like yours would come her way anyway. As a matter of fact, I dare say that U-Jean is more ‘man’ than you, and I think she’d agree with me too.
I still like to believe there are men out there who aren’t as shallow. Please don’t diminish mankind’s hope with a nickname like yours.
@A Man,
u r the 1 who makes me laugh, u know the reason urself
🙂
did cleff say anything ur name or about ur parents in her previous reply?
everyone can see the answer is “No”
and by the way, wat i write below only can consider as insult:
Oi! A Man! Tiu nia mah chao hai pukimak chao cibai! You really a ham kar ling, lantong kia! pei yan tiu lar! Chao cibai A Man!
now this 1 only can 100% confirm it is some words that are insulting you!
———————————————————————————————–
@Vern,
I agree with u, U-Jean is for more noble than this A Pondan