28
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To build a nation,
first build a school
MANY years ago, Tagore
said: “To build a nation,
first build a school.” He
was talking about the
need to integrate and
socialise the young people
who form the citizens of
a country. In Malaysia,
concern was raised even
before World War II,
not long after the British
had experimented with
preserving separatism
and found the situation
difficult to control.
Sir Shenton Thomas
(governor and high
commissioner), in about
1940, actually thought
seriously of adopting a
policy to Anglicise the
Chinese. But war broke
out before he could act.
It is not at all well
known that, in the
early years of British
administration, there
was no consciousness of
the need to build walls
between the ethnic
groups. For instance,
those appointed to official
bodies (such as sanitary
boards or state councils)
represented industries
or commerce. It was
only after World War
I that the decision was
made to appoint ethnic
representatives.
The British treated
non-Malays as aliens
and therefore provided
facilities for them to
continue to live as
citizens of their countries
of origin. Hence also,
hardened non-Malay
criminals were banished,
meaning they were sent
back to their original
countries and could not
return.
Malays (as distinct
from those of more recent
Netherlands East Indies
origin) were deemed to
be subjects of the Rulers.
Those committing serious
crimes were exiled,
meaning they could
return because this was
their land of origin. It was
to protect their interests,
after the first rubber
boom of 1910, that the
Malay Land Reservation
Act was passed in 1913
which also defined, for the
first time, who a Malay
was. This same definition
is preserved in the
Federal Constitution.
When plans were laid
for the establishment
of a nation-state in the
course of World War II,
the British began to plan
seriously the best way
to integrate the ethnic
groups. The Communities
Liaison Committee was
formed at the beginning
of 1949, chaired by
E.E.C.Thuraisingham.
The Barnes
Committee, a year
later, recommended
the integration of the
education system. All
government schools,
as distinct from private
schools, would use Malay
and English as the main
media of instruction but
pupils could learn their
own ethnic languages.
Later, the Razak Report of
1956 stated categorically
that “the main objective
of Malaya’s educational
policy is national unity.”
Its recommendations
were substantially similar
to that of the Barnes
Report.
But throughout the
late “forties” and “fifties”,
various efforts made
to integrate the people
proved futile. They
preferred to remain
separate. Hence, ethnic
political parties were
formed. Socialism and
communism tried to
use ideology to break
down communalism;
both failed. I remember
a question set for my
final year examination
(in 1959) by Prof.
K.G.Tregonning (an
Australian):
“Communalism not
communism is the real
threat in Malaya.” Most
of the students who
answered that question
agreed with the statement.
Singapore is very
well aware of that and
has adopted, from the
beginning, an integrative
approach towards
TELLING IT AS IT IS
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education. But its
requirement that a pupil
must study his/her own
ethnic language is too
hard. If an Indian pupil
wants to study Mandarin
instead of Tamil, he/she is
not allowed to do so.
Our political leaders
also could not solve the
problem on the eve of
independence. They left
many issues unresolved
hoping that, after
independence, reason
and not emotion would
prevail. But even now
there is no sign of it.
When I told the reporter
of the Chinese paper
that the time had come
to adopt a “one-system
national school”
approach, I specifically
mentioned Singapore
as an example. But she
could not understand
what I was saying and
reported that I had said
non-Malays must forget
their mother tongues.
“Mother tongue” is
another misunderstood
term. It should be
the language used
by members of a
particular family, not
the language used by
a nation. Therefore,
Tamil is not the “mother
tongue” of every Indian.
The Bengalis, Punjabis,
Malayalis and Telegus
have their own “mother
tongues”. In Sarawak and
Sabah, the indigenous
people have numerous
“mother tongues”.
Like it or not, young
Malaysians must make
it a point to acquire three
languages at least: the
national language, an
international language
(English is the most
useful) and each person’s
own ethnic language. The
schools can provide for
the learning of a few of the
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No one’s
major ethnic languages:
Mandarin, Tamil and
Arabic; but it would not
abducting
be practicable to try to
provide more.
When discussing
minority
national problems, why
groups
must leaders of the nation
allow themselves to
be overcome by strong I REFER to “The disaster of forced
ethnic feelings? Their assimilation” (Speak Up, Dec 17).
main responsibility is to With all due respect, Yeo, nobody
integrate the nation not is talking about abducting any
separate it. And, by the minority groups into the superior
way, the nation rejected “sawo matang” culture. Not me, not
assimilation a long time the experienced historian nor the
ago but acknowledged young politician.
that integration is the This is a language debate and
right approach. There are please leave it at that. We are
still educated Malaysians talking about having a common
who do not know this. means to unite us all. And the
I have lived through one that makes the most sense
two serious ethnic riots is language. British, Australians,
– one in 1945 and one Germans, French, Japanese,
in 1969. When I plead Chinese, Thais, Indonesians (to
for a rational approach name a few), all share common
why should I be accused languages.
of not knowing my own And in the land of Barack
people? My research into Obama the same rules apply. And
the history of the Chinese not only that, in Germany and the
in Malaysia takes into Netherlands, would-be citizens are
account minute details. required to be able to speak the
But the simple question national language and also made
is, if I choose to be an to sit for a test on national culture
ethnic champion would before being naturalised. And I’m
I be able to contribute sure we all know too well what
to national unity? Am happens to Muslims and Sikhs
I to understand that in France despite liberte, egalite,
confrontation is the wiser fraternite. I can’t say much about
approach? Have we not the intention of these governments,
seen the calamities that but I can see the rational behind
have taken place in some the rulings, except for France.
countries even in recent Imagine Obama running for
times because of ethnic the American presidency speaking
confrontation? English the way Nelson Mandela
The preservation does. The Americans, blacks or
and practice of ancestral otherwise would have rejected him
culture is not wrong outright. By the way we elected
but when one lives in a an MP who can’t even speak the
complex society, social national language and spends his
relations cannot be taken time rehearsing his words, every
for granted. Certainly time he wants to say something in
accommodation is more Parliament. Which make us, in a
likely to lead to greater way better than the Americans.
happiness than stubborn
confrontation. Harizal Hassan
Via email
Prof. Khoo Kay Kim
Via email
Embrace the
future
I REFER to “Vernacular system gave me
the edge” (Dec 15). The writer may have
mixed up Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Kim’s call
for minority races to give up their mother
tongue to her own “edge”.
She had the advantage of a full
graduate education overseas and had
the edge because she knew Mandarin.
Anyone would have the edge given the
writer’s background. Let us not equate
this to the “need” for minorities to be
educated in their mother tongue. These
are separate issues. When our forefathers
came from China, they must have been
prepared to give up everything for a
new life. When they decided to take up
citizenship in Malaya, they probably
would have been prepared for a new
life. They must have been prepared to
embrace this country as their own.
After 1969, the government had
many plans to correct the imbalance
in wealth. Believe me, that was a noble
aim. Of course, greed, corruption and
incompetence turned the noble aim
into what we have today. This in turn
marginalised the minority races.
Why not create a new identity
(with Bahasa Malaysia as the national
language) which encompasses all that
has been taught by the forefathers of all
the races. Blend all this into a unique
culture and we shall see the emergence
of a true Bangsa Malaysia, a blend of the
teachings of the oldest civilisations. We
shall be then be a global powerhouse.
DKKL
Petaling Jaya