------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date: Fri, 07 Nov 1997 22:44:48 +1100
To: sangkancil@malaysia.net
From: Bala Pillai <bala@malaysia.net>
Subject: [sangkancil] Najib undermines academic freedom (fw)
Reply-to: Bala Pillai <bala@malaysia.net>
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**bounced msg forwarded**
From: "MK Lee" <apec7@hotmail.com>
To: sangkancil@malaysia.net
Subject: Najib undermines academic freedom
Content-Type: text/plain
Date: Fri, 07 Nov 1997 02:23:17 PST
Education Minister Najib Tun Razak's ridiculous gag order on lecturers
and researchers pertaining to the haze problem has undermined the
already shaky confidence of the people in our local universities.
While DPM Anwar Ibrahim was desperately appealing to parents to not to
send children to foreign universities (apparently to help cut our
current account deficit), Najib has practically put academic freedom in
Malaysia to the sword.
Anwar said (The Star, Nov. 7): "it is something to be embarrassed about
if our parents continue to send their children to take up courses
overseas. Our universities have all the requirements, capabilities and
skills needed for first degree programmes."
"The only thing we need now is to boost parents' confidence in our
institutions of higher learning," said Anwar, who is obviously out of
sync with his colleague (or perhaps competitor) in the Cabinet who has
succeeded in pouring further embarrassment on the country.
Foreign educated Najib obviously doesn't have much confidence in the
capability of local academics in doing research, especially on
"sensitive topics"which can threaten national interest. "We are trying
to prevent statements which are not supported by concrete scientific
evidence and could easily damage the image of the country,"Najib said in
justifying his ban.
Perhaps the haze has muddled his thinking processes to the extent that
hanging the Sword of Damocles over our poor academics is the price our
who higher educational system has to pay for improving Malaysia's image.
How can the DPM expect parents to heed his call to send our children to
local universities when short-sighted politicians like Najib demands
that research and teaching must follow the Government's version of
truth?
Is it any surprise that many parents dutifully scrap to save enough
(make that 25% more with the RM in a mess) just to give their children
an education that they deserve.
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