EX KBTC 61/63

Beyond the 'Dong Zong issue' by Azly Rahman in Malaysiakini I read with interest about ongoing governmental discrimination against Chinese schools, as highlighted by Dong Zong. Why are quality teachers and an abundance of resources still channeled only to Malay-dominated schools? Why are children in Chinese schools criminalised by the ‘sanction on teaching staff” which will ultimately deprive students of a good mother-tongue education? What actually is our illness with regard to denial of the students’ right to their own language? Do policy makers actually understand the relationship between culture, cognition, consciousness and citizenship? What does nationalism mean these days, and how do we understand it vis-a-viz use of language in schools? Whose brand of nationalism is being made dominant and what should an inclusive one look like? What is the real issue behind the age-old request for the Chinese schools to have more teachers? How are the children criminalised by all this?

Saya baru terima surat dari Mohd Noor Awang Setiausaha ExKBTC61/62 semalam. Perjumpaan akan diadakan di Kelantan tetapi tidak di Kota Bharu. Tahniah kepada Jawatankuasa yang terdiri daripada: Ismail Hassan Zakaria Hj Mohamed Nik Ahmad Yaakub Salmi Ismail Norma Arshad Hasbullah Umat yang telah bertungkus lumus untuk menjayakan perjumpaan Pertemuan Semula Kali ke-8 di Sweet Beach Resort, Tok Bali, Pasir Puteh. InsyaAllah kita akan ke Kelantan sekali lagi pada bulan Mei ini - tarikh yang di catatkan ialah pada 26, 27 dan 28 Mei 2012. Jadual ringkas juga dibekalkan untuk persediaan para sahabat yang akan ke sana. Dalam kegiarahan Setiausaha, beliau telah mencatit 26Mei sebagai hari Jumaat. Hari Jumaat pada bulan Mei ialah pada 25Mei. Kita akan ikut hari Jumaat sebagai panduan perjumpaan ex KBTC sebab perancangan tentunya dibuat untuk hujung minggu. Jumpa di sana.