Listen, Listen, Listen.....Let Me Speak, Let Me Speak, Let Me Speak

       A video clip( link at the bottom) where a student was berated  by what I think was the moderator of an event went viral on the Internet. Many forms of mockery and parody not to mention outright criticism were thrown at the moderator for her rude behaviour towards the student who was just airing her views. So this is the problem of our society, where people with strong opinions are attacked and not allowed to speak simply because their opinion stand against that of ours.

     Firstly, the main point to be conveyed is not the jokes on the Internet, the criticism against the moderator, the parody and so on. What must taken note is that the event is done to indoctrinate students. We can see the "ikrar" at the event as prove among others. The government, despite their claim of transformation (Political Transformation), still conducts such an event to propagate their views unfairly on students. This is called government propaganda to impose their thinking on students.

 This is prove that despite the amendment to the laws restricting students from participating in politics, there are still a lot to be done for students in this country. This also proves that the government is half- hearted in their political reforms. Such an event shouldn't be held in the first place as students should be taught to think, allowed to seek different views and arrive at the conclusion on which is best by themselves. While guidance should be given, the decision is theirs and theirs to make only.

     So what am I proposing, well as a citizen of Malaysia, I am proposing that students be allowed to listen to different views so that they can make an informed decision. University authorities should invite BN representatives to talk, PR representatives to talk, an even independents. The format should be either a forum or debate with different political representations, on even a one speaker event.

 I am not happy that the government is using taxpayers money to fund propaganda. It is bad enough that government-linked companies( partially belonging to the Rakyat) like Media Prima, through its TV channels have attacked the rakyat's rationality by airing constant propaganda( I'm sure our money can be used on more constructive ventures), now public universities are also joining the bandwagon. It is propaganda galore for the rakyat while our pockets are getting thinner and cost of living is getting higher.

 The government has lost its priorities. They are more interested in having propaganda events in our universities instead of improving the education standard( which means encouraging critical thinking) and accessibility to it. Hence we should heed the advice of the Deputy Prime Minister that there is nothing wrong with BN continuing to govern, why change when BN is good? Never mind the corruption and abuse of power, BN is good, keep it. Don't change for the sake of change as what our former PM said.

     Secondly, we must  include in our education system, the need to evaluate differing views and reach a conclusion. Is communism all bad?, even the welfare for the poor part?, is Capitalism all bad?, like the need for individual to strive for personal success? Is all things western bad?, hypocrites like to claim that but just look at them and we know that is not the case. So make evaluating different views part of the pedagogy of teaching by teachers and syllabus must be designed to incorporate differing views.

 Our history textbook is filled with what UMNO and to some extent alliance did to attain independence for our country, but very little on the role played by the political left like the role of PKMM( Persatuan Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya) to fight for our independence. Our exams shouldn't have one right answer when there are many. Textbooks should be nothing more than a guide, not a source of definite answers. Teachers must encourage students to do research.

 Though I acknowledge the limitation of this proposal where students from poorer backgrounds might have trouble obtaining some materials as compared to the better off students, the government must rectify this by utilizing technology like the Internet and having good libraries in school and other ways to bridge the gap.

     Finally, I propose politics be more professional, no more attacks on opposition with wild allegations like Anwar being an American agent and so on unless concrete prove can be provided. The same goes for the opposition. The allegation against Rais Yatim shouldn't be done simply based on hearsay. Use constructive economic, social, religious and issue-based political arguments instead of sentiments like Malays vs Non-Malays, Solar Bible to convert the Muslim is a big no no.

 This is especially important when dealing with students. We want to expose them to constructive politics not sentimental politics. Hope that Malaysians from both side of the political divide will rise up and change their political ways by adopting all, if not some of the proposals. If they can find a better proposal than mine, even better, make sure its is really a better proposal than mine, not those moral relativism or political expediency ones. We must do so, for the sake of Malaysia and her people.

-https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MJs6_j0rfi8