Malaysia – the Country I left behind
Malaysia was once a part of the British Empire. Like sunlight to early dawn, much of the land that came after British conquests advanced toward better wellbeing. Improving yield for agriculture, introduction of roads, railways and other infrastructure, mining, manufacturing and the increasing trade and commerce, had made Malaysia one of the most developed in the Far East.
But alas, the tide of change came after the Second World War. Colonies after colonies were given independence before its time, much to the cheers of local egoism. Like Angkor Watt, much of Africa, Burma and some other independent states were given back to the jungle.
Malaysia fell backward. Racial discriminations were implemented, replacing hard work and equality. Meritocracy was replaced by foolishness, lol. The whole education system that the British had nurtured for hundreds of years, were dismantled and replaced by an indigenous language. History, geography and other social sciences could be rewritten from the native point of view, and they did.
But if you try mathematic differently, it wouldn’t work, and if you compose chemicals differently, the lab might explode. So the Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir, the one who original instigated the abolition of the imperial English language, reversed his educational policy that mathematic and science, should be taught in the English language.
But once Dr Mahathir left office, the country fell back again. Beginning 2012, students will have to learn all, including mathematic and science, in the native language. But how could they excel and proceed into Oxford or Cambridge? The result is that remnants of English schools were popular, but they were expensive. The bulk of the country suffers. Malaysia’s neighbor, Thailand had edged forward and seems to be overtaking Malaysia in education and development.
Joel Huan
The Mystery of Ephraim 