flames of fury 8

Merit has no relevance in local varsities Prof P Ramasamy Nov 11, 05 4:49pm



All the public universities in the country are in a terrible state of affairs. The low academic quality leading to a worsening crises is a result of a variety of factors. First, the open and institutionalised discrimination of non-bumiputeras in academic and administrative appointments has meant that only bumis - particularly those loyal to Umno - are considered for these positions. The vicious discrimination of non-bumis citizens on the grounds of their ethnicity and religion has made mockery of Malaysia as a democratic country. Past experiences reveal that sometimes, as in the case of UKM, even non-citizens holding academic positions are appointed as administrators. Non-bumis are completely by-passed in the administrative appointments. Given this open discrimination, merit has no relevance in the public universities. Second, vice-chancellors in the public universities are all ‘yes-men’ to those in Umno and the Ministry of Education. They simply lack the academic and professional credentials to steer the universities in a healthy direction. They have been appointed to their present positions simply because of their connections to those in power, the UKM vice-chancellor being a case in point. Third, the public universities are merely pathetic appendages of the government; they do not have the requisite autonomy to function in a free and healthy environment. Since there is complete lack of autonomy, the activities of students and lecturers are very much regulated and controlled. Those who are critically-minded face the prospect of punitive actions. Lecturers who are vocal face the prospect of removal or non-renewal of contracts. Fourth, academic promotions are determined by criteria other than merit. Ethnicity, religion and loyalty to the government determines academic promotions. Non-bumis by definition are considered problematic in terms of academic promotions or administrative appointments. So how can one expect our public universities to attain academic and professional standards when there is such a blatant discrimination? How can a country that labels itself an aspiring democracy condone and justify such a nefarious practice of excluding a segment of its population from participating effectively in public universities? It is such a shame. Millions of taxpayers’ money is spent on building universities and paying lecturers. The money comes from all, but the beneficiaries belong to one particular ethnic group. Unless and until the racial apartheid is dismantled in the Malaysian education system in general and in public universities in particular, it makes no sense to talk of the quality of the public universities.
The writer, formerly of UKM, is now Visiting Professor at University of Kassel, Germany.

When you dont admit your mistakes, you never learn. When you never learn, you never know. When you never know, you are stuck of where you are! The promoting of one race and forgetting the other race groups will in the end spell the decaying of the society and the country. The country progress is not measured by one race alone; it is made up of the other races who contribute the progress of the country and society. Every effort must be governed by fairness to every race. You can't say you are in majority in a race, you can do what you want. History has recorded what had happened. Examples are Germany and Rome or Majapahit Empire...all about one race mentality and eventually the empire collapse and people disappeared or merged with other races. Yet humans always craze of power which will destroy themselves in the end