School heads in Penang have been instructed or “advised” not to invite State Government leaders and other elected representatives in Penang as VIPs and guests-of-honour. The message was conveyed during a briefing last Wednesday by a senior official from the Penang Education Department, which comes under the federal-level Education Ministry.
The directive/”advice” to play on the safe-side was made verbally (and not in writing), according to a principal of a school in Penang and confirmed by another senior staff member from the same school. They were understandably indignant at the ruling.
This just shows the kind of small-mindedness among certain Education Dept/Ministry officials. I believe even DAP-PKR state assembly members who are not holding exco posts may now not be invited as VIPs/guests-of-honour to schools.
Take a look at this year’s Penang Schools Sports Council (MSSPP) meet, which is opening today in Batu Kawan and closing on Friday. The Penang school sports meet traditionally has been officially opened by the Governor of Penang and closed by the Penang Chief Minister. But this time around, my second source said that the invitation cards issued to schools indicates that the closing ceremony will be officiated by the State Education Director.
I wonder if there is a similar ruling/”advice” in the other four opposition-controlled states. Perhaps readers of this blog who are school heads can tell us.
But I think there is a silver lining. This directive will, unwittingly, give the new Penang State Government leaders more time to spend on running the state efficiently, instead of wasting time officiating at routine school functions. Though I am sure the Education Department officials did not have that in mind!
Now, the question is, will USM officials follow suit and avoid State Government leaders like the plague?
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As I heard from the briefing, the senior official advice not to invite elected representative from ANY PARTY as guest of honor if possible. I think there’s a miscommunication here.
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Pubic servants.
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This so-called official from the state education dept should be sacked. He is paid by the people’s money and the people(which include me) want to sack him now. He is employed to do his job well. He should not play politic. Any elected representatives of the people is also his boss. So if he going against the elected representatives of the people, he is also going against the people. Then he should be sacked. The people do not want to employ such stupid official who do not know who is his boss.
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This is what I wrote in Malaysia-Today concerning this topic :
A very petty and stupid message from a small-minded ‘little Napoleon’ who is still ignorant of the rakyat’s impatience and anger. Its people like these who bring ridicule and scorn to fair-minded people still working within the system to change from within. I refer to those who are not brave enough to be confrontational but at the same time would like to see changes for a more ‘just’ government institutions.
I would like to offer a counter suggestion to this directive. Invite no one who is in any way related to politics (except for the circumstances below). Instead invite people of high standing in the community (without political affiliations) and those who have contributed to the schools in particular and education in general.
These people should be made the only VIP and at the same time, if there are any politicians from either side, who has a track record of doing something for the school/education concerned, let him/her be an invited guest.
In this way, those who are afraid of defying the directive, cannot be accused of defiance and at the same time promote the ‘new’ way forward in a subtle way. The so called YBs can be reminded of the rakyat’s intolerance for too much politicking when it comes to the real business of educating the young minds for the good of themselves and the nation.
I believe there are many school heads who see the injustice and stupidity of this directive but at the same time, not prepared to defy it, because of the real need not to jeopardize their livelihood.
Take the middle and non-confrontational road but remain within the system until the ‘opposition’ can guarantee your future but slowly chip away at the prevailing injustices.
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State Government, is not the same as Party.
Chief Minister is not the same as any party position/representative
Understand ?
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This is nothing new. Of late certain elite schools in Penang did invite federal ministers to officiate their functions.
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If this is true, then Umno, BN, Krismudin is digging their own grave… Let them… Sore losers!!
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The report above and a second one, “Schools in 5 states told to be neutral” written by Regina Williams and carried in Malaysia Today and main stream media gives reason for Malaysians to be worried that they have not done a complete job of removing the BN entirely. This situation provokes several thoughts.
Firstly, the instructions may have come from some brainless… toadying State or Federal Level Government Official (Read- people employed by the government)to show their (misguided) “loyalty” to the Barisan or specifically to UMNO.
Secondly, there is also the probability that the instructions came from some political creep from the BN or specifically UMNO who wants to show that the party/parties can still call the shots an put the political leaders in “opposition states” can be put in place, belittled or treated like dirt even though the BN has been ousted in the 5 States.
Either way, members of the entire heirachy of the Ministry of Education (State, District and school personnel) should know (and if they don’t or have not realized) that other than the few Politically appointed positions such as the Minister, Deputy Minister and probably a few other minor political appointees, the members of the Education organization are GOVERNMENT SERVANTS who should carry out their duties irrespective of whether the political leaders in their respective states are from the BN or Barisan Rakyat. In fact, this principle should be the norm in all administrative, government departments as well. Anyone who choses to act contrary to this very simple rule should either quit or be sacked.
What is seriously worrisome is that this situation should develop in the Area of education. Whoever is giving out these instructions do not care for the children but are self centered and should be identified very quickly.
The Minister of Education if he claims to be worth his salt and the PM himself should take immediate action to put an end to the situation. Like it or not, the action of whoever the culprit is, has seriously dented your already very damaged status. Silence or inaction from your end will be the final nails hammered into your (political) coffins as well as the coffins of the BN, UMNO and the component parties.
It will not surprise me though that there will be no comments or action from the mentally challenged “leaders” that we have – all the easier it will be for Malaysians to decide on who to elect when PRU13 comes around.
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At this stage I actually do not see any reason why state goverment’s reps would want to be invited as VIPs for such events at all. My experience of such events is that they are there to serve as decorations only, without any meaningful contribution to them. More often than not, these VIPs took advantage of them to conduct political speeches; when at this stage of their education, students’ focus should on other things.In reality, how many attendees of such events actually listen and heard what is said?.
It would be more productive for the politicians to spent their time to conduct what they have been elected to do.
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i think the USM should give fully autonomy….why? so that the …UMNO wont disturb the student’s rigth here…. even our campus election they involved in where this election should be our own business….so sad about this BN-thing…….
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I am shy to be a Malayisan
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[...] the Barisan Nasional rule. Now who the hell is this moronic Senior Official of ED? According to Anil Netto, this moron might have come under direct supervision of Kerismudin. Can he be the Director of the [...]
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[...] Penang school heads told not to invite State Govt leaders as VIPs Published in March 27th, 2008 Posted by admin in Current Issues, English, Politics Read it here [...]
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oh!!! that y my school sports day is opened by yang dipertua PIBG instead of Prof.Dr.Ramasamy !!!!
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Selamat Pagi Cikgu! If our history books could be rewritten, restricted quotas for admission to the Then top Universities, language and grades determined etc by the Ministry of Education…I ain’t surprised at all.
Let us all have a Karaoke session of the school, state and national anthem to relieve our stress. LOL!
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[...] Related : Anil Netto’s blog [...]
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Friends, if boycott is the name of the game then let us show them that we can also play this game well.
I left a comment on the previous post calling for a boycott of all BN owned companies.
Here I am again asking you to boycott any BN owned businesses such as the MSM. My email is barisanr at yahoo dot com. If you would like to help out or contribute the names of any businesses with known affiliations with the BN…., please feel free to email me.
Once I am confident that there is enough names on my list to create a strong enough impact, I will make public these names for you to take action against them.
Until then… Makkal Sakthi!!
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Disgustingly disgraceful!, firstly I think the rot of the situation is actually a reflection of the mentality of the Kris wielding Education Minister who was maintained after the 12GE, so he is still running the ministry.
Secondly, all the Education Ministry people are the same low mentality people who are still maintaining their crony stick attitudes. If they were truly apolitical, they should not be concerned with who is the government of the day.
The majority rakyat who voted in the current government are sending their children to these schools, so I hope those education ministry (people) will stop playing politics, concentrate on improving the education system and not waste time on deciding who should be invited to officiate functions at schools.
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Small man with bird brains. He forgot that the same Rakyat that, put the B Rakyat Government up there, is the same Rakyat that pays taxes and his salary comes from there.
Let it be a warning to school heads that, they are to abide by a decoroum set as an unwritten rule, that schools teaches us, to respect thier leaders and the elected leaders, have a mandate from the population, not from a silly lackey of BN.
Abide by the principle of Ethics.
I am sure we learn this from HOME EDUCATION DG OR WHATEVER YOU WISH TO BE CALLED.
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[...] the scenes on polling day Michael Backman – Malaysia’s PM pays high price to stay in power Anil Netto – Penang school heads told not to invite State Govt leaders as VIPs Malik Imtiaz – Crisis In Trengganu? What Crisis? The People’s Parliment – Dear Advertiser, [...]
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[...] the scenes on polling day Michael Backman – Malaysia’s PM pays high price to stay in power Anil Netto – Penang school heads told not to invite State Govt leaders as VIPs Malik Imtiaz – Crisis In Trengganu? What Crisis? The People’s Parliment – Dear Advertiser, [...]
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Show of arrogance will make the rakyat hate them more. This is the problem with those in power. They don’t realise that the ultimate power is in the hand of the rakyat.
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