Math and Science: The case for BM (1)
The PPSMI project – it was revealed in Parliament last May – has already cost taxpayers RM3.2 billion over the last five years. A huge portion of the money was ostensibly spent on ICT hardware, software and peripherals. Further billions have been budgeted to see through the programme. Wouldn’t you like a close accounting of where the money allocated for PPSMI is going or went?
Helen Ang, Centre for Policy Initiatives
National laureate A. Samad Said who is 76 years old choked on teargas at the ‘Daulatkan Bahasa’ gathering to uphold the sovereignty of our national language. Police fired volley upon volley of teargas; some reports said up to 200 rounds. Pakciks, Makciks, Uncles and Aunties, undergrads and students were smothered by the stinging gas too.
Gerakan Mansuhkan PPSMI (movement to abolish Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam bahasa Inggeris/PPSMI) had organised the rally to urge a reversal of the misguided policy to teach Math and Science in English.
Solidarity for the cause clearly cut across ethnic lines last Saturday afternoon when a crowd of about 8,000 collected in the vicinity of Masjid Negara. Someone on a loudhailer invited all of us, irregardless of religion, to enter the mosque premises for sanctuary.
Angular Aunties and plump Makciks in the spirit of muhibbah took to the streets patrolled by riot squad and where FRU and police trucks were stationed, where water cannon awaited and chopper persistently swept the air. It might conceivably have been a first for some of the non-Muslim participants to be within the grounds of the iconic national mosque, and welcomed.
Veteran leader Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah got it right on the March 7 march when he says ours is a government that sets itself against the rakyat it was appointed to serve.
Meanwhile, in Putrajaya, the Prime Minister wants the Education Ministry to resolve the PPSMI issue before it blows up. From his reaction, I can imagine Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wringing his hands. Poor guy… Dollah was saddled with the PPSMI albatross around his neck just like he was with the Crooked Bridge of his predecessor.
