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Formation of Parliamentary Caucus on Higher Education postponed for a week  to July 4 – answers by Shafie on higher education most unsatisfactory and unacceptable

Media Statement
 by Lim Kit Siang

(Ipoh, Friday): The formation of a Parliamentary Caucus on Higher Education fixed for Monday  has been postponed for a week to the following Monday, July 4 to avoid clash with other programmes arranged for 27th June, including a meeting organized by  the Barisan Nasional Back-Benchers’ Club. 

Instead, the Parliamentary Caucus for Human Rights will hold a media conference in Committee Room One, Parliament on Monday, 27th June 2005 at 12 noon on its visits to the Kamunting and Simpang Rengam Detention Centres. 

On Tuesday, 21st June 2005, I had circulated an invitation to all Members of Parliament, Barisan Nasional and Opposition, who are concerned about standards, quality and excellence of the higher education system,  to support the formation of an all-party Parliamentary Caucus on Higher Education. 

In my letter to MPs, I said: 

“The Prime Minister, YAB Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has issued the call for ‘cemerlang, gemilang and terbilang’ for the enhancement of Malaysia’s international competitiveness to face the many  challenges of globalization and which is a prerequisite if the Prime Minister’s ‘Fist World Infrastructure, First World Mentality’ aspiration for Malaysia is to see fruition. 

“A Parliamentary Caucus on Higher Education, where MPs regardless of political party can come together on the common interests of overseeing the upgrading and rebranding of Malaysian universities to world-class standards,  should not only be able to contribute to long-overdue university reforms but also be another important step towards transforming the Malaysian Parliament into a First-World Parliament.” 

In the past two days, I have received completely unsatisfactory answers from the Minister for Higher Education, Datuk Dr. Shafie Salleh to my parliamentary questions concerning higher education, which has underlined the importance and urgency of having a Parliamentary Caucus on Higher Education where  MPs can be involved in a more meaningful way in the policy-decision process pertaining to higher education. 

On Wednesday, I asked Shafie what his Ministry had done with regard to the three complaints of the University Malaya Academic Staff Association (PKAUM) on (i) irregularities in academic promotion exercise; (ii) tampering with examination marks and (iii) allegations of corruption in colleges.

This is Shafie’s reply: 

“Kementerian ini mendapati proses menentukan kenaikan pangkat akademik di Universiti Malaya adalah berdasarkan peraturan yang telah ditetapkan iaitu melalui proses pengiklanan, penerimaan permohonan dari staf, penyenaraian pendek nama calon-calon dan sesi temuduga.  Kebiasaannya, calon yang berjaya adalah calon yang telah memenuhi kriteria yang ditetapkan dan mempunyai sahsiah dan budi pekerti yang baik. 

“Berhubung pengubahan markah, mengikut peraturan yang sedia ada, system pemarkahan sentiasa diawasi oleh Jawatankuasa Pemarkahan di peringkat Jabatan/Fakulti yang bertanggungjawab mempastikan system pemarkahan dikendalikan dengan lancar dan telus. 

“Berhubung perkara dakwaan rasuah di kolej-kolej, setakat ini masih tidak ada bukti kukuh yang menunjukkan berlakunya gejala tersebut.  Walau bagaimanapun, Kementerian ini sentiasa memandang berat terhadap aduan-aduan yang diterima samping sentiasa memantau dan menyiasat perkara berkenaan.” 

It is most regrettable,  unsatisfactory and irresponsible that Shafie had avoided specific reference to the allegations which had been made by the University Malaya Academic Staff Association (PKAUM), avoiding even any mention of the PKAUM in his answer, although this was the centerpiece of my question. Even more shocking is Shafie’s refusal to acknowledge Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) investigations into these allegations. 

I am asking for a meeting with Shafie next week in connection with his most unsatisfactory and unacceptable answer to my question on the PKAUM allegations. 

Yesterday, my question to Shafie was “what university reforms are in store to ensure universities are centres to create towering Malaysian personalities to enhance Malaysian competitiveness instead of mediocrities”. 

This is Shafie’s reply: 

“Bagi pembaharuan-pembaharuan universiti yang bakal dilakukan untuk menghasilkan tokoh-tokoh Malaysia yang unggul (towering Malaysian personalities) untuk menambah baik daya saingan Malaysia, Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi telah meminta agar semua IPTA memantapkan program dan activiti ko-kurikulum. 

“Langkah ini dapat meningkatkan keupayaan pelajar dalam membina sikap yang lebih berdaya saing, berkeyakinan dan mempunyai perwatakan unggul disamping memberi ruang kepada pelajar untuk membina kemahiran dalam aspek pengurusan dan kepimpinan. 

“Selain daripada itu kursus-kursus untuk meningkatkan kemahiran pelajar dalam berkomunikasi khususnya melalui penguasaan Bahasa Inggeris dan lain-lain bahasa turut dilaksanakan oleh IPTA. Pelajar juga diberi latihan bagi menambahkan keupayaaan mereka dalam penggunaan teknologi ICT. 

“Bagi meningkatkan semangat dan budaya keusahawanan di kalangan pelajar, IPTA juga menerapkan ilmu keusahawanan dalam semua program penajian. 

“IPTA juga menyediakan persekitaran yang kondusif seperti menubuhkan pusat-pusat kecemerlangan bagi memberi peluang kepada pelajar pasca-siswazah untuk menjalankan activiti-activiti penyelidikan. 

“Selain itu, Kementerian juga telah mengadakan bengkel strategi pelaksanaan PIN di IPTA bagi meningkatkan kecekapan, ketelusan dan keberkesanan system pentadbiran yang sedia ada. 

“Penerapan nilai-nilai murni bagi meningkatkan kecekapan system governan di IPTA diharap dapat melahirkan tokoh-tokoh yang unggul.” 

I feel very depressed by Shafie’s answer, for I see neither  light nor vision  from him to point the way towards tertiary education  reforms to transform Malaysian universities into centres to create “towering Malaysian personalities”, for at least three  reasons: 

  • Grave problem of denial syndrome as there is no preparedness to acknowledge the existence of a grave crisis of higher education which has seen unchecked decline of university standards, quality and excellence;
  • A most mechanistic answer which does not touch on the soul of great universities, the urgent need to restore the academic culture in our universities which are presently stifled by a  feudal-corporate culture, and a new respect and appreciation of the importance of  university autonomy and academic freedom.
  • A commitment for local public  universities to  achieve world-class status to transform Malaysia into an international centre of academic excellence, not just at the sloganeering level  but internationally recognized and respected.

Let there be an extensive and wide-ranging national debate among intellectuals, academicians, MPs and the civil society as to whether Shafie’s answer yesterday provide a sufficient charter and basis for university reforms to ensure that  the public universities become  centres to create towering Malaysian personalities to enhance Malaysian competitiveness instead of mediocrities.

(24/06/2005)      

                                                       

*  Lim Kit Siang, Parliamentary Opposition Leader, MP for Ipoh Timur and Strategic Planning Commission Chairman