Watching each and every step

Have Chinese primary school boards of directors suffered from persecutory delusions, causing them to directly think of some agendas hiding behind the scene or mysterious motives whenever they encounter a problem? Is the Chinese community labouring under groundless fears and being extremely suspicious? 

Lim Mun Fah, Sin Chew Daily

The Chinese primary school staffing incident in 1987 had led to the Operasi Lalang, causing more than a hundred arrested, and three newspapers, including the Sin Chew Daily, had their publication permits revoked. It was a dark chapter in Malaysian history, while leaving an indelible scar on Chinese community.

Since Malaysian Chinese community takes Chinese education as the “last line of defence,” it is inevitable for them to take every decree, ordinance, regulation and measure carefully. They are afraid that they might fall into a trap once they make a mistake and become sinners ruining Chinese education.

It is undeniable that Malaysian Chinese education has gone through ups and downs over the past 200 years and it is still unable to get rid of saddening depression, due to lessons learned from the past.

It is also why when Penang Education Department suddenly made a verbal notice that starting from 2015, Chinese school boards of directors will be restructured and the number of school board directors will be reduced from 15 to nine, triggering an uproar not only in Penang Chinese community, but also protest from Chinese community nationwide. They protest against it, while questioning the authorities whether they are again playing the “water testing” trick.

According to Penang Education Department Director Osman Hussain, the restructuring of Chinese school boards of directors is meant to test the effectiveness of an “attempt to change.” It is a very vague and ambiguous statement, particularly the so-called “effectiveness,” which could lead to various explanations and imaginations.

In short, it is a very strange “instruction” with an unknown origin. As we know, only the Education Minister has such a power but the Education Minister has not issued any similar instructions. It is particularly inconceivable as according to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong, even Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was shocked by such a measure and investigation would be launched since he has not signed any documents regarding to the restructuring of Chinese school boards of directors.

Since it is not an instruction from the Education Ministry, is it a false command from the Penang Education Department then? Or, could the state education department made the decision on its own? If the answer is yes, then it is not only an act of going beyond authority, but also an arrogant “Little Napoleon” behaviour!

However, while being questioned, Penang Education Department director did not revoke the command, but instead argued that the new structure will be applied only on newly form school boards, while existing school boards may choose whether to restructure or maintain the status quo. The problem is, what does it mean by newly formed school boards? In accordance to the charter, school board directors must be re-elected every year and should newly elected school boards be considered newly formed school boards?

Penang Education Department director even announced that the department intends to discuss the issue with school boards but if it really is a measure that even the Education Minister has been kept in the dark, how legitimate could a command being questioned by a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department be? Is it necessary for the Penang Education Department to make such much effort in “studying” a fabricated measure? What consequences should it face if it insists?

Wee urged involved officials not to view Chinese education issue too simply. In fact, similar to politicians filled with prejudice and discrimination against Chinese education, it is not that they do not know the severity of the problem, but they do it knowingly.

Under such an environment, we can only say that the future path of Chinese education is still rough and hard and each and every step must be taken cautiously!