NATIONAL IDENTITY

 

Consolidating our

 

National Identity

 

IDENTITY is what makes people recognisable as individuals through particulars in their physical make-up, family and educational background, career and professional status as well as talents and skills. It is these markers or attributes that define an individual’s values, personality and character, all of which contribute towards his or her self-esteem and worth.

A family group or community with clear conceptions of its interests and affiliations will reveal its own unique identity which will in turn influence the individual members of the group. Today there are numerous socio-cultural groups and NGOs each claiming to have its own identity informed by its own mission and objectives.

A community of people of the same ethnicity or faith will share the same cultural and religious values, customs, ceremonies and symbols which give them the sense of belonging and distinguish them from members of another community. Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, the Baha’i faith and other faiths each have their community of adherents united by a set of common beliefs and pride in their identity.

When we talk about national identity, the first word that comes to mind is “Malaysian” and the attributes of being one. While words such as “Malay”, “Chinese,” “Indian”, “Kadazan”, or “Kelabit” denote our ethnic identity as members of the community of Chinese, Dayak or Kelabit etc. “Malaysian” refers to our nationality and national identity as part of the larger citizenry. Implicit in the concept of national identity are attributes such as patriotism and nationalism which can be defined as follows:

– National identity is a sense of belonging to one state or one nation, a feeling one shares with a group of people.

– Patriotism is the devotion to or love for one’s country.

– Nationalism is the collective identity – a “people” must be autonomous, united and express a single national culture.

The local discourse on nationhood and identity has tended to highlight the academic, political and authority-defined concept of national identity developed from interpretations of official statutes such as the Federal Constitution; or the state-defined principles of nationhood in the Rukunegara, the economic ideology of Wawasan 2020 and its politically-informed concept of a Bangsa Malaysia as well as the more recent promulgation of the all-encompassing notion of One Malaysia.

In Shamsul AB: His Observations, Analyses & Thoughts (2011), the writer argues that the national discourse on national identity needs to take into account not only the voice of authority but more significantly, the voice of the people who express their “everyday-defined” socio-cultural realities and moral concerns. Only then will the views of all the communities in Malaysia be heard and matter in a world and a nation that is developing a “second-generation nationalism which is more positive, proactive and forward-looking. It has a programmatic plan of action articulated in realpolitik which has, in the Malaysian case, emerged not only from a histori-cal context of anti-colonialism but also in the post-colonial era …” (pg 13).

To substantiate repeated calls by the voice of authority telling us to be patriotic, we need to feel the sense of a Malaysian identity and belonging for ourselves. We need to convey our pride in, as well as our fears and wishes for the country we pledge allegiance to. We cannot simply be told that we have to be loyal; we have to feel this in our hearts.

It is with these considerations in mind that we should support more public dialogues where issues surrounding the individual and his identity within the community and the nation are discussed openly and honestly. It is time for Malaysians of all ethnic backgrounds, cultures and religions to come to the fore and engage one another in meaningful dialogue. It is only by confronting our socio-cultural bigotry and prejudices and talking about them that we will come to understand why they exist in the first place. It is only through a process of sharing our knowledge and experiences that we can understand and accept one another’s differences. Only then can we work towards consolidating our national identity.

The Intercultural Dialogue to be held on Feb 1 is one such platform which deserves the support of the voice of the people and the ears of authority. With its aim of being egalitarian and fully participatory, participants will have the opportunity to voice our concerns about our cultural, religious and national identity in an interactive setting. Its objectives – to promote an open and honest sharing of intercultural experiences; to share knowledge and information about our ethnicity, culture and religion; to define binding elements in the national vision and Malaysian identity; and to explore the idea of a national identity index – will allow for the “moral concerns of real people” to inform the authority-oriented discourse on national identity.

FOLK HERO

 

 HANG TUAH – A FOLK HERO

A folk hero is a type of hero, real, fictional, or mythological. The single salient characteristic which makes a character a folk hero is the imprinting of the name, personality and deeds of the character in the popular consciousness. This presence in the popular consciousness is evidenced by mention in folk songs, folk tales and other folklore. Folk heroes are also the subject of literature and some films. Although some folk heroes are historical public figures, they generally are not. Because the lives of folk heroes are generally not based on historical documents, the characteristics and deeds of a folk hero are often exaggerated to mythic proportions.

 

The folk hero often begins life as a normal person, but is transformed into someone extraordinary by significant life events, often in response to social injustice, and sometimes in response to natural disasters.

 

Every country and every culture has its own folk heroes who uphold the customs and traditions of the country/ culture which embody its moral vaues and notions of good and evil.

 

One major category of folk hero such as Robin Hood is the defender of the common people  against the oppression or corruption of the established power structure. Members of this category of folk hero often, but not necessarily, live outside the law in some way.

 

* Adapted from Wikipedia

SIMPLICITY & PRUDENCE

TOWARDS SIMPLICITY & PRUDENCE

REDUCE THE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE ON UNNECESSARY PRESENTATIONS AND  PROTOCOL

On 23 April 2001 in a feature article entitled Of Titles and Trimmings I wrote:

We hope that the Malaysian love for protocol and decorative officialdom will give way to simplicity and prudence, better time and budget management. For despite appeals for less protocol at government and corporate functions, Malaysians still go overboard with unnecessary trimmings.

 What is it about our Malaysian deference that makes us invent unnecessary protocol to segregate the plebeians from the titled members of society? Do we have to literally stretch our budi bahasa to acknowledge every Tun, Tan Sri, Datuk, Toh Puan, Puan Sri and Datin in the audience? Would not the all-inclusive Tuan-Tuan dan Puan- Puan be more reflective of the egalitarian social order – keadilan dan kesaksamaan – that we vow to uphold?

 Have we become a nation and a people that by virtue of some ill-founded traditions cannot be simple in our approach to work and play? Are we a society that, having thrown off the ghosts of feudalism and then colonialism, is still haunted by their contrived hierarchies?

Ten years on, we still do not see a transformation in attitudes towards hosting and hospitality, especially in the government departments and agencies entrusted with the management and disbursement of public funds. We still witness elaborate song and dance shows, smoke and  laser displays and bursts of fireworks and confetti – all quite irrelevant to the event at hand but deemed necessary to impress the royal guests or VVIPs in attendance; all unnecessary spending of the rakyat’s hard-earned money.

It does not help that today, savvy events organisers have wrested the role of the in-house organising committees to manage their department and company functions  for a very steep price indeed. Glib MCs, popular bands, celebrity crooners, fancy decorations and door gifts have taken the social scene by storm – all supposedly crucial in image building. The guests are then treated to horrid performances   and bad presentations factored surreptitiously into exorbitant costing. The general thinking is that Malaysians love to be entertained.  

What does it take to convince us to change our ways? Can we really change, when what we hear do not tally with what we see? The government’s repeated calls for innovations and  transformations to be made in the key sectors of the nation’s impressive development plans, for  greater planning in budgetary matters, for more prudent spending of private and public moneys seem futile when what the people see are lavish spendings around them. While the talk is of equalising society and closing gaps and chasms, the walk is on posh red carpets and in plush watering holes.

It appears that the disparities are getting substantially more glaring as the hierarchies of titles and honorifics become more contrived and entrenched in the social order. The talk of democratic and egalitarian principles of putting the rakyat first is drowned by the intrusive walk of bodyguard upon bodyguard and the screeching siren of outriders all warning us that all is not equal in the land of Malaysia.

What can we do to convince the public relations agencies and protocol departments and officials not to be overenthusiastic about their role and responsibility, that protocol is after all a function of the society and a reflection of its values. Granted, respect must be accorded the guests of honour be they royalty or eminent members of society. In the book Malaysian Protocol (1986) the writer Datuk Abdullah Ali painstakingly details the administrative machinery and social hierarchies at the Federal and State levels stemming from the ranks, titles and honorific bestowed on the people. He says on page 24 “If you are a good host, everyone that you invite matters. This is especially so in this country with all the titles and ranks: the Tunkus and Unkus, the Tuns and Tan Sris, the Dato Seris and Datos, not to mention the Ambassadors, Generals, Admirals, Commissioners and Superintendants, Chairmen and Managing Directors etc and etc. All these people know their station in life and expect to be accordingly treated.”

Protocol in simple seating YES, but perhaps not in fancy trimmings where the host feels obliged to mention each one by title and name, or greet them with kompang and drum beats or give them expensive cenderahati.        

The Sultan of Selangor’s recent call for less extravagance in organising public events and functions must be heeded by all including the other royal houses. What better counsel than Tuanku’s suggestion that a good book has greater value than any expensive gift, or that celebrity MCs and entertainers are an unnecessary waste of public money?  What greater wisdom that to encourage prudence in public spending and protocol among Tuanku’s subjects?

As the Quran 25:67 says “And [they are] those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that, [justly]moderate”

 

INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE

PCORE                                                         YAYASAN 1MALAYSIA

            INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE

             Towards Greater Awareness:

Community Identity & National Identity

       Date: Wednesday 1 February 2012

                       Time: 9.00 – 4pm

     Venue: Institut Integriti Malaysia

 

Introduction

Implicit in the concept of national unity is the belief that there is a common path – one that holds shared values and aspirations among people of diverse socio-cultural orientations. The journey towards unity and its twin concept of peace is best undertaken when people accept one another’s differences and strive to define their common goals as a nation.

Building a national identity must necessarily be seen as the process of consolidating our multiple identities as individuals and as members of the groups we belong to – be they ethnic, community, religious, professional or political. What better way to forge greater understanding than to engage one another in open and honest ways, with empathy and compassion?

While fulfilling our roles and responsibilities within our own communities, we are contributing to the nation in constructive and resourceful ways. While we are proud to uphold our cultural and religious values and traditions, we stand tall in upholding the honour and integrity of our national identity.

We are secure in our identity as Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, Kadazans, Dayaks and Eurasians etc, as followers of Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and the Baha’i Faith etc,  just  as there is solidarity in our identity as Malaysians! 

 

Objectives

• to promote an open and honest sharing of intercultural experiences
• to share knowledge and information about our ethnicity, culture and religion
• to define the binding elements in the national vision and Malaysian identity
• to explore the idea of a national identity index

 

PROGRAMME

8.15AM – 8.55AM: REGISTRATION

9.00AM – 9.15AM: OPENING ADDRESS

                           HRH Raja Zarith Sofiah Binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah

9.20AM – 9.40AM: Community Identity and National Identity: An  Overview

                  Professor Chandra Muzaffar     

9.45AM – 10.00AM: Identity: A Personal Perspective

                                  Datuk Faridah Merican

MORNING COFFEE 

 

 

10.15AM – 11.00AM: ICEBREAKER

                                        Sharing Intercultural Knowledge and Experiences

 

11.05 AM – 11.25AM: Knowing Your Roots

                         Dr Asma Abdullah

11.30AM – 1.00PM:  CIRINI BREAK-UP SESSIONS

                                      Cultural Identity, Religious Identity, National Identity

LUNCH 

2.00PM – 2.30PM: CIRINI FINDINGS

2.35PM – 2.55PM: Exploring  a National Identity Index

                    Datin Halimah Mohd Said

3.00PM – 3.25PM: KEYNOTE ADDRESS

                                  YB Datuk Seri Idris Jala

3.30PM – 4.00PM: *CLOSING ADDRESS (to be confirmed)

                                YAB Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak    

TEA

 

REGISTRATION FORM

 

Name/ Designation……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Organisation/ Institution……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Postal Address……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Mobile Number……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

E- mail Address…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Fax Number……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The completed form must be faxed or emailed by

Friday 20 January 2012

Fax: 603 – 77704568

Email: yuenling@yayasan1malaysia.org  

For further information call

Halimah 012 2921192, Alice 019 3527789, Dr Asma 012 2013201

 

BOOK REVIEW

Malaysian Batik:

 

 

A tradition comes

 

 

of age

 

Malaysian Batik: Reinventing A Tradition

Author: Noor Azlina Yunus

Publisher: Tuttle Publishing, 176 pages

Review by Datin HALIMAH MOHD SAID

Can Malaysian batik acquire a ‘national identity’? Rather than in any particular style or design, perhaps such an identity lies in its popularity as the fabric of choice in national attire, with Malaysians from all walks of life turning out in batik on informal and formal occasions, at home and abroad. THIS book offers a comprehensive narration of the growth of the Malaysian batik industry from its early beginnings as a scattered group of small personal holdings in the East Coast states of Malaya in the 1930s to the well-supported national hub that it is today.Under the auspices of Yayasan Budi Penyayang, the writer, Noor Azlina Yunus, has produced a well-illustrated account of the journey of Malaysian batik and the myriad phases and faces it represents – from its initial borrowings of the sober hues and repetitive patterns of the Indonesian batik Lasem, Pekalongan and Cirebon prototypes to the brilliant metamorphosis of colours and designs now crafted for high fashion.

In every chapter the writer’s batik story is accompanied by an impressive collection of photographs and sketches to illustrate each design, pattern, colour and technique described. The expert layout of the text and illustrations enhances the coffee table appeal of the book and facilitates the reading and comprehension of what are some rather complex descriptions of design and batik-making techniques.

In Chapters 1 and 2, the writer points to an outstanding difference in the development of batik in Malaysia and Indonesia, where batik making is a centuries-old tradition. It was the customary use of the sarong in Javanese court wear and among men and women of the upper class that helped to preserve the identity of Indonesian batik. The skilled batik artisans consistently used the stiffer designs, schematic patterns and more staid colour schemes established in traditional Javanese batik. In Malaysia, batik sarongs were worn by the common folk, many of whom were farmers and fishermen. The self-taught batik makers of Kelantan and Terengganu were thus more free to develop bolder new designs and colour combinations reflecting the fauna and flora in the natural environment.

The less restrictive cultural environment in Malaysia also allowed for innovations in the techniques and mechanics of batik production. Quite significantly, the transition from the use of the canting (a traditional hand-held tool) in Indonesia for the precise but slow release of the wax in batik tulis, to the use in Malaysia of metal-block wax stamping over broader areas of fabric to produce yardage batik cap, followed by the more versatile use of the canting technique to produce stylus batik has resulted in a more varied choice of batik fabrics and designs in Malaysia.

In Chapter 3 Noor Azlina discusses in some depth the emergence of the Malaysian identity in stylus batik from the 1970s right through to the 1980s and 1990s, led by the younger graduates of art and design trained in foreign institutions as well as local ones such as the Mara Institute of Technology. The reader is led to conclude that what can be considered a pioneering venture in Malaysian batik is not so much the creation of a unique Malaysian design identity but rather, the innovations and experimentations in batik production.

Interestingly, the tradition of designing individually styled yardage batik pieces for different designs in women’s dress, scarves and stoles, men’s shirts and even lifestyle products was born and nurtured during this phase of the batik story. The riot of patterns and colour combinations in traditional Malay women’s dress, such as the baju kurung, baju kebaya and baju Kedah, and men’ shirts typically reflected the Malay preference for stronger designs in their attire.

The writer also identifies the individual batik designers and producers who were outstanding during this era and contributed their artistic skills as well as marketing talents to popularise Malaysian batik. Through their combined endeavours, the country saw a proliferation of batik silk produced by a combination of waxing and hand-drawn design using the canting and brushes. To this day, batik silk remains the most popular fabric choice for batik, taking over from the cottons and lawns of the early period and the voiles, rayons and viscose later.

While individual designers in Kuala Lumpur were able to sustain their businesses, it was the organised efforts of government agencies like Rida (Rural Industrial Development Authority) and Mara (Majlis Amanah Rakyat) in the 1960s and 1970s that provided financial and technical assistance to the small-scale batik industry which started in the East Coast states of Kelantan and Terengganu and spread to the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The growth of local and international tourism, the government-encouraged use of batik for formal use, and individual initiatives developed a more stable market for Malaysian batik and the industry was to gain a stronger foothold in the nation’s economy.

However, as Noor Azlina rightly points out, while batik manufacturing was on its way to becoming a viable local industry in the 1990s, product development, if there was any, was less impressive. The new government agency Kraftangan needed to coordinate the batik industry players better and inspire them to develop newer and better designs to meet the demands of a more discerning twenty-first century consumer market.

The highlights of Malaysian Batik: Reinventing A Tradition in terms of both its exposition and illustration are Chapters 4 and 5 where the writer describes in great detail the role played by the late Tun Endon Mahmood (wife of former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) and the organisation she spearheaded, the Yayasan Budi Penyayang (Penyayang), to inject new life into the Malaysian batik industry.

From the inception of Penyayang in 2000, Endon was to consider it her personal mission to revitalise the industry with a new creativity, promotional scheme and business strategy to take it to loftier levels, locally and internationally. Under the untiring efforts of the foundation’s CEO, Datuk Leela Mohd Ali, and its subsidiary Batik Guild Sdn Bhd, Penyayang embarked on the “Malaysia Batik – Crafted for the World” movement launched in 2003.

Through the well-chronicled text and assortment of photographs in Chapter 4, the writer takes us through the colourful series of events – batik extravaganzas and fashion shows, street carnivals and fun walks, batik and craft exhibitions, batik demonstrations and workshops, seminars and conferences – organised by the movement that connected the Malaysian public with the best players in the batik industry. The batik industry players have been, in turn, given an organised platform and opportunity to showcase their talents and products and reach out to a much larger public.

The concerted and sustained efforts to promote the Malaysian batik industry and encourage the creation of Malaysian batik with a clear national identity has brought together the batik makers, designers, production houses, fashion moguls, fashionistas, retailers and distributors, writers and media communicators and academicians, all poised to witness the modern rejuvenation and reinvention of Malaysian batik.

The culmination of each year’s activities lie in the Piala Seri Endon, a batik design competition held annually to showcase the best in batik design, highlighting the knowledge and experience of the designers but more importantly their “creativity, originality and professional execution of the batik in the designs as well as their commercial viability” (page 78).

Admittedly, while the annual competition has injected new inspiration and artistic insight into the nation’s many talented batik fashion designers, there has been no discernable design identity that Malaysian batik can boast of. Apart from highlighting the tropical flora and fauna and the many ethnic symbols and patterns, and translating them into the most outstanding or subtle hues, one cannot say that the designers have created a truly Malaysian identity in their batik designs.

What we see in the wonderful display of contemporary Malaysian batik designs on the pages in Chapter 5 is a new confidence and boldness in combining the strokes of canting and brush through a heightened colour sense. The works of the most outstanding designers are represented in the collection of Galeri Seri Endon, set up in 2008 for the purpose of serving as an incubator to breed the best.

As Noor Azlina subtly suggests, the national identity of Malaysian batik lies perhaps in its popularity as the fabric of choice in national attire. Malaysians from all walks of life and background gladly wear Malaysian batik on informal and formal occasions at home and abroad. As the final chapters in her story show, Malaysian batik has indeed come of age.

Penyayang’s efforts under the stewardship of its chairman, Nori Abdullah (Endon’s daughter), will see Malaysian batik making further inroads and reaching greater heights to ensure Endon’s dream of crafting Malaysian batik for the world will be perpetuated for posterity.

* Published in The Star 23 December 2011

GENERATIONAL SYNERGY

Gen Y

 

and

 

Baby Boomers

 

 

 

WITH the current focus on youth, change and transformation, it’s hard for the older generation not to feel they are being sidelined and their expiry date expedited. Every day there are announcements of programmes to attract the Gen X, Gen Y and millenium babies, but hardly any for the Baby Boomers, the septuagenarians and octogenarians before them. It is as though the latter are becoming the forgotten generation – obsolete!

No doubt investment in the youth of today is good business sense as they have the potential to be the most resourceful human capital. The government’s transformation plans to position the country as a globally competitive and technologically advanced nation alongside regional and international giants require the expert education and training of Malaysian youth to prepare them to become the leaders of tomorrow.

Besides, it makes good political sense to garner the support of young voters by taking care of their interests with concrete schemes to ensure their hopes and dreams come true. The nation’s youth have to be wooed to give them a sense of belonging and nationhood through which it is hoped they will quickly see the wood for the trees, and pick out the gems from among the pebbles in the political arena.

Research shows that while Gen Y, alternatively called the Gen Me and New Boomers born between 1982-2001, are more civic-minded, confident, tolerant, demonstrate a good team-working spirit and entrepreneurial skills, they are said to be imbued with a selfish sense of entitlement, a rejection of social conventions and increasing narcissism. Made culturally liberal and politically aware by the quick and constant flow of communication via email, texting and social networking, they are indeed a fertile catchment area for new information and propaganda especially on the internet.

It is doubtful, however, if the barrage of incentives and promises showered on them at workshops and seminars is a substitute for a nurturing family and community life. It is unlikely that they can replace the sound values and principles handed down by caring elders who have experienced life’s vicissitudes and know better.

While technologically savvy modes of communication such as Facebook and Twitter offer the virtual space for outbursts of brilliance, they cannot replace the face to face engagement with peers, superiors, colleagues and associates where mental prowess and creative genius would have to be sustained in a steady stream of discussion, dialogue and discourse across and around real tables.

A truly innovative national scheme to implement would be the injection of new life into the Baby Boomers. Their expertise and experience should be recycled into a productive synergy with the energy and enthusiasm of the New Boomers. There can be specific programmes to mobilise the country’s senior citizens who want to contribute in relevant ways to society.

Many do it privately in their own time and at their own pace. The civic-minded take up the cause of a charity or an NGO while the religious involve themselves in mosque, church and temple activities. Some reaffirm their loyalty to their alma mater by contributing to alumni and foundation work, others focus on their family legacy and heritage.

There is a sizeable group, however, who seem to be stuck in a time warp. They are disgruntled and feel that their past contributions to the nation and the government have not been duly recognised. They are no doubt grateful for the pensions and gratuities received but feel they are a neglected lot. It is for a caring society to boost the self-esteem and confidence of its ageing population by involving them in meaningful activities.

I remember feeling insecure about my impending retirement and making a conscious effort to plan for it. Having worked the whole of my life, I could not conceive of a time when I had all the time to myself. What would I do apart from socialising at weddings and family gatherings, birthdays and funerals in-between attending the inevitable agama classes to prepare myself for the after-life?

In middle age especially, the feel-good factor comes from knowing that you are still productive – if not biologically, at least mentally. Senior citizens need to be involved in activities where the results of their efforts are visible and tangible. This will give them a deep sense of personal satisfaction as they feel they can still be useful and their contributions acknowledged without having to crawl around to family and friends.

Besides, their political prowess should never be underestimated. Baby Boomers have seen the nation through the more than half a century of growth and development which Gen Y and Gen Me have no idea of. They have seen the blood, sweat and tears of their forefathers and can distinguish between leaders and their brand of leadership. But a good many have become disillusioned.

LOVE & LOYALTY

Rethinking loyalty,

 

love and core values

 

THE Umno president’s speech at the party’s 62nd general assembly has left me pensive as I ponder loyalty and what it means to be loyal.

Loyalty is a bonding born out of love and respect, faith and belief in someone or something we hold dear. We can be loyal to a person or an organisation – our family and friends or the alma mater that have had a major influence in our upbringing and education.

We look up to our elders and superiors, our teachers and role models that we share a special relationship with. The caring employer or corporation that impacts our career development and looks after our welfare deserves our loyalty.

Loyalty is therefore the outcome of a reciprocal relationship that sustains and nurtures the basic human need for a caring social order be it in the family, community or organisation.

For the individual, loyalty evokes an emotional bonding which, like love, guides one’s directions in life. We are prepared to walk that extra mile when we love or when we are loyal to someone or something that sincerely cares for us.

Thus it was in the early days when the Umno leaders roused the spirit of nationalism and inspired loyalty in the teachers, government servants and simple rural folk who comprised the party members.

The battle cry for independence was credible as were the generals who led the brigade. The promise of levelling the country’s deeply pot-holed economic ground was real to a people long neglected by choice or design. The Malays needed Umno to pioneer the new era as much as the party needed their pioneering spirit.

Besides sharing the patriotic zeal with the people, the Umno leaders were down to earth when they tread ground. Their talk of eradicating the poverty, uplifting the economic status and improving the education of the Malays was believable and therefore well received.

Their sincerity in reaching out to the people was unquestioned as they themselves exemplified the virtues of an honest life and selfless service.

There was no great socio-economic disparity then between the Umno leaders and the Malays whose hearts and minds they courted. There was no great divide between luxury and necessity, between what the people got and what their leaders acquired.

The people warmed up to them knowing they too were going home to a simple home and a spartan life. The relationship was grounded in sincerity and mutual respect.

Therefore the new reality that the “orang Umno” must face which the party president talked of should include the emotional and spiritual bonding the “pemimpin Umno” need to seal with their members.

He should add that a reciprocally fulfilling and trustworthy relationship is underpinned by shared core values between leaders and their followers.

It is bizarre to expect the Umno Malays to manifest the once popular values of “clean, efficient, honest” (“bersih, cekap, amanah”) when some of their leaders are not their best examples. The integrity and survival of Umno lie in the integrity of its leaders and members.

Of course one cannot deny that a big part of the new reality is the people’s social mobility and the choices they have.

Malaysia is not alone in experiencing this new multiplicity – multiple ethnicities and communities, multi-layered educational and economic systems, numerous opportunities for work and career advancement, many-tiered levels of communication, complex networks of human rights and civil liberties – all of them promising to make our puny human lives better.

Gone are the days when our working life was devoted to a single employer, be it the government, a corporation or family business; when we were educated and trained by superiors with great knowledge and the highest skills and ethical standards.

Through them we acquired the confidence, security and job satisfaction to give of our best including our utmost loyalty. There was time then to understand the core values of the organisation and put them into practice.

How times have changed and people impatiently surf the net and scour the pages for change when they have not fully grasped the need for it.

How the minds of the young are inundated with information and knowledge they barely comprehend, yet they have to partake of the numerous schemes for innovation and transformation.

How the nation’s pragmatic and materialistic concerns imbue the rakyat’s minds and hearts as they become cut and dry in their dealings.

It is no wonder that we lament the dying spirit of loyalty and even love as we forge ahead in our modern undertakings.

How sad that the “kesetiaan dan kasih sayang orang Umno” which came so naturally in the past has become contrived as the new breed of aspiring businessmen and contractors position themselves to extract the greatest personal benefits from the party.

How unfortunate if the party that upholds the ethnic cause of the Malays so nobly is unable to transform the minds and hearts of its members.

DIVERSITY & UNITY

 

Diversity is the reality, unity the dream

 

I ATTENDED last week the conference on National Unity: From Vision to Action jointly organised by Yayasan 1Malaysia and the Institute of Strategic and International Studies. The invited speakers and participants comprised young people below 40. The moderators of the two panels and three workshops were older, averaging 65 years of age. A generational divide some would say.

Certainly in their discussions, the groups presented diverse views depending on their background and experience. The young politicians in the panels – Teo Nie Ching (DAP), Khairy Jamaluddin (Umno), Masiung Banah (Upko) and Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff (PKR) made impassioned appeals for more serious efforts to forge unity.

A heightened cultural and religious understanding, a new social contract underpinned by a unified education system, sincerity in power sharing in the nation’s leadership, an empathetic justice system, greater interaction and collaborative entrepreneurship were the calls made by them.

The workshop participants were no less vocal in discussing the obstacles to national unity. They were united in decrying the negative impact of divisive politics and the unbridled ethno-racial chauvinism exacerbated by irresponsible political rhetoric and irrational discourse.

It was agreed that it is natural for people to polarise towards their own socio-cultural groupings with its attendant practices, customs and traditions. However, it becomes incumbent upon every Malaysian to break the silos that encourage segregation in their organisations and communities if they are serious about achieving unity.

In the summing up, Prof Chandra Muzaffar appealed for more substantive analyses of national unity matters where ethnic issues are handled with honesty, sincerity and fairness. Integration with integrity are indeed values which the nation must seriously espouse.

I share Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon’s argumentation for harmony in diversity. Implicit in the concept of national unity is the belief that there is a common path – one that holds shared values and aspirations among people of diverse socio-cultural orientations. The journey towards unity and its twin concept of peace is best undertaken when people accept one another’s differences and strive to define their common goals as a nation.

Building a national identity must necessarily be seen as the process of consolidating our multiple identities as individuals and as members of the groups we belong to – be it ethnic, community, religious, professional or political. What better way to forge greater understanding than to engage one another in open and honest ways, with empathy and compassion.

While fulfilling our roles and responsibilities within our own communities, we are contributing to the nation in constructive and resourceful ways. While we are proud to uphold our ethnic and religious values and traditions, we stand tall in upholding the honour and integrity of our nation.

We are secure in our identity as Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, Kadazans, Dayaks and Eurasians just as there is solidarity in our identity as Malaysians. What is most urgent is for Malaysians to be united by a common national vision.

The bonding among diverse groups will then be sealed through a common destiny. What we must do at the individual, organisational and community levels is to look deep within our own resources and strengths and share them with others. Our talk and walk must be inclusive. We must be prepared to accept one another’s differences. We must engage one another in meaningful ways.

Our concern for the integral values and principles of democracy and egalitarianism must unite us as we seek societal justice, equity and fairness. We must rid ourselves of the tendency to be biased or exclusive.

As we strive to mend the fragile boundaries of race, religion and regionalism we must advocate policies that build strong bridges between people and communities. Activities and programmes addressing issues of national concern in education, the economy, culture and religion, the law, politics and government must be put in the hands of leaders and role models who uphold the values of peace and undertake their duties and responsibilities with a conscience. The voices of reason must prevail over the rumblings of discontent.

Perhaps what must be seriously established are new criteria for leadership roles, starting with the elected members of parliament – the people’s representatives – who must answer a set of questions, for instance “How many friends of another race do you have?” or “How many times have you sat down to eat with people of other ethnic groups?” or “What other religions do you know apart from your own?” or “What are the practices of another ethnic group or religion that you are most fascinated by?”

From the questionnaires, the leaders of political parties can extract a taxonomy of attributes of each aspiring candidate to select the “winnable” ones for the next general election. Only then will Malaysians be convinced that national unity has a chance of becoming a reality in their lifetime.

CRACKING THE ELT EGG

 

 

CRACKING THE EGG OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING (ELT)

As a seasoned teacher-lecturer of English language, literature and linguistics and a proponent of excellence in English Language Learning-Teaching (ELT), I humbly offer some pragmatic classroom approaches to optimise the learning potential of students and teachers of the English language.

No amount of platitudes on the virtues of English can produce Malaysian students proficient in the use of the language or teachers adept at teaching it. The mastery of English (or any language for that matter) requires total immersion, that is a situation where learners are completely and constantly exposed to the correct models of the language and will acquire it spontaneously. 

In their home environment children internalise the basic structures of their mother-tongue, including its grammar and pronunciation, without any formal teaching.  In contrast, the second language learning situation places students in a contrived environment with teachers covering a selected syllabus using certain teaching methods and techniques. Success depends very much on the variables which input its processes, among which are the readiness of the students and teachers, the suitability of teaching-learning materials and techniques, and the relevance of the assessment tools.

For many students in Malaysia English is a first or second language learned as a subject in school but reinforced by continuous exposure to a conducive educational and social environment.  For the less-privileged, it is a foreign language with little opportunity for use except in the English language classroom where the teachers themselves are poor models. It is no surprise therefore that there are great disparities in the proficiency levels of English among the population.

How then does one crack the ELT egg to address its problems squarely and come up with effective long-term remedies? How does one intercede the vicious downward spiraling of English standards with immediate short-term solutions? How can the basic requirements of language learning be simulated in the classroom?

First, the English language curriculum must be revamped to adopt and adapt the pedagogical principle of total immersion.  The four traditional skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking must incorporate materials that will expose the students to a wide range of topics at all levels.  Central to this will be a strong literature component to hone their reading and writing skills through activities such as reading aloud, dictation, recitation, role play, drama, answering comprehension, writing essays, summaries and book reports.  Group project work will encourage further interaction, reading and research.

Second, the teaching methodology must be modified to provide for maximum participation of learners in their own learning. What this means in classroom management terms is that the students are grouped in fours or fives with a group leader who will facilitate the activity and allow for peer turn-taking.  Teacher talk is reduced as the teacher’s role will be to guide and monitor the learning with computer-aided input whenever necessary.

Third, the time-tested method of teaching listening and speaking through the use of language tapes must be religiously pursued. Drills in pronunciation and enunciation of words and phrases, and oral practice in intonation of sentences and longer stretches of speech are effective methods in oral/ aural English.. Students are provided with ample exposure to the correct models of spoken English and have the  opportunity to practise speaking aloud.

In the ideal ELT classroom the teacher is the role model that the students imitate and emulate. However, in the Malaysian context one must be innovative and circumvent the problem of the lack of trained English teachers and teachers who are proficient in the language, by using more creative teaching aids and technology-aided learning. At the same time as fulfilling the traditional role of the teacher, these classroom methods if skillfully used will also allow the teachers to improve their own language proficiency as they monitor the progress of the students.

Apart from the language and computer labs which require great financial investment and complex time-table scheduling for the school, a quick and effective investment would be to equip each classroom with a library of learning materials (books, magazines, newspapers, educational toys, tapes, CDs), and to provide every English teacher and student with a personal listening device such as the Walkman. With this ready availability of language tapes and CDs, they can use them in their spare time and free periods, or even borrow them in the weekends and school holidays.

I urge the Education Ministry to collaborate with radio and television businesses, telecommunication corporations and electronic service providers in providing Malaysian students and teachers with language-learning materials and the appropriate technology to learn English in efficient modern and innovative ways.  The Europeans, Chinese, Japanese and Koreans are successfully learning English in language labs and by using personal listening devices.

As part of their corporate social responsibility, corporations can also offer to run training programmes for teachers to bring their language proficiency up to par in the shortest possible time through the use of modern language-learning technology.  The teacher mentoring programme must extend beyond the 300 native speakers from abroad brought in to train local English teachers. Apart from the high cost of importing them, their command of their mother tongue sometimes leaves much to be desired. A more practical move is to mobilise the thousands of retired English language teachers in every state in the country and recruit them on a part-time basis.

Instead of pointing fingers and playing the blame game or getting caught in circular arguments about which comes first – the chicken or the egg – an reasonable government, a business/ corporate community with a conscience and concerned parents can do wonders if they put their heads together for the sake of their children and ordinary Malaysians who, through no fault of their own, are unable to participate fully in national development or contribute meaningfully to it because of poor English.

http://www.languagetapes.info/Language_Learning_Tools_30.html

PPSMI

 

CHICKEN AND EGG PHENOMENON

THIS N THAT

Halimah Mohd Said

 

IT’S not difficult to get one million people to petition for the reinstatement of the teaching of Science and Maths in English (PPSMI) in the national education system when the issue is close to the people’s heart and the arguments for the policy seem compelling enough.

The popular reasoning is that because the huge knowledge base of these two subjects is in English, students who are taught in English are better equipped to understand the concepts and handle the subjects academically. Added to this is the thinking that English language proficiency will be enhanced and communication skills improved as students are widely exposed to English in Science and Maths classes. Their command of the international language, it is argued, will stand them in better stead in their future careers.

Surreptitiously appended to the PPSMI petition is the call for parents to be given the right to choose the medium of instruction which best suits their children’s needs. The proponents of education in English argue that, in addition to the national schools in Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese schools in Mandarin and Tamil schools in Tamil, there must be national schools in the English medium. The country has only to gain from a liberal education policy which produces school leavers fluent in English, they add.

Being academically qualified in English language, literature and linguistics and professionally trained to teach these subjects in schools and universities for more than thirty years, I would be the first to list the virtues of an English education. There’s no doubt that at the personal level, a good command of English allows access to tremendous information and knowledge, and builds the confidence to communicate effectively in speech or writing wherever English is the operating language.

However, I would not hesitate to support the development of Malay as a modern language of knowledge and communication, of science and technology. Having instituted Bahasa Malaysia as the national and official language to forge the educational agendas of nation-building, national identity and unity, the Razak Report and the Rahman Talib Report formalised in the Education Act of 1961 firmly established Bahasa Malaysia as the medium of instruction in national schools and its teaching in national-type schools.

As a result of concerted efforts to ensconce education in the national language since the 1960s, Malay has grown from its status as the lingua franca of everyday communication to the formal language of administrative, academic and literary discourse. Through the work of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, its vocabulary, spelling system, grammar and pronunciation have been modernised and standardised to a level that has not been achieved even by the English language. To meet with advancements in the major fields of knowledge, terminology in Malay has been growing by leaps and bounds enriching the language further.

Malaysians who doubt the ability of the national language to deliver a sound education system in all academic subjects including Science and Maths must be reminded of the giant step taken to establish Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 1970. Since then UKM and other public universities have continuously produced graduates educated in Malay. They are among the country’s outstanding academicians and professionals who effectively add value to the national treasury of skills and expertise.

Parents who think that Science and Maths can only be effectively taught in English must be reminded of the basic pedagogical principle that among young children, concepts and notions are best acquired in the mother tongue or language of constant exposure in the school system viz Bahasa Malaysia. If they want their children to be educated in English there is a wide choice of private schools, colleges and universities to choose from at home and abroad.

It is a fallacy to link the abolition of PPSMI to the falling standards of English or to argue that learning Science and Maths in English will boost proficiency in the language. Even among those educated in English, it is not the scientists and mathematicians who are the most articulate but rather, those educated in the humanities. It is subjects like English Literature, History, Economics and Law which provide ample opportunities to read, speak and write in English.

What the proponents of English must urge for is the total revamp of the English curriculum, including the syllabus and teaching methodology. If the teaching of existing subjects in English runs contrary to the national education policy, the Education Ministry must seriously consider bringing in English Literature as a strong component in the English curriculum.

Rather than adopt the hop, skip and jump strategy when handling important educational issues, concerned parents must synergise with teachers, English Language Teaching/ Learning experts and ministry officials to propose a fresh model for ELT benefiting both teachers and students in the short and long terms.

A much lamented issue is the insufficient number of trained English language teachers and that those assigned to teach English are themselves not proficient in the language.

Rather than be circular and heap blame on the poorly qualified English teachers who teach their children, parents must get around this issue and press the government to provide continuous in-house training to bring teachers’ language proficiency up to par. Teachers must also be weaned off outdated language teaching techniques and be retrained in innovative methods of effective language teaching.

If the government can come up with a comprehensive plan of action to allay the apprehension of parents and NGOs representing them, much will be gained. Rather than exacerbate the chicken and egg situation that the Malaysian public is good at playing, the egg must be cracked with a bull’s eye and the bull taken by the horns.