Doing Things Out of Respect, Not Right

Assalamu alaikum and hi all

I am trying hard to find a logical solution to all this fuss but all I see picturing in my mind is like an episode of 'Law and Order'. Unfortunately, unlike the tv programme where quid pro quo usually happens, I see no end to this and that is why discussing religious issues (of God's name, of all things) is deemed highly sensitive in a country such as ours where freedom of speech is not absolute freedom.

Let me rehighlight that the real issue under scrutiny is bigger then letting The Herald use the term 'Allah' in their weekly newsletters. Let me also state that the use of the term does not cause people that share my background to get confused so much so weakening my faith in Islam.

My concern is that term is used freely in literature especially for young children who read tales of the prophets (yes, the ones with pretty illustration) and find out that the ending is different altogether than what is taught in al Qur'an by their teachers and parents. I shudder knowing the fact that the few who are unable to read the al Qur'an may rely on translations of it to learn the religion and get it wrong. Worse, they could not tell one scripture from the other!

This is my genuine worry because I see them happening around me. So out of respect rather than right to my fellow peace-loving Christian friends, I hope that commonsense prevails.

It is always difficult to draw a clear line in matters such as this and I wish we do not venture there and share a common ground instead. That for me, is essentially quid pro quo.

Wassalam.

The Responsibility in Mending the Mentality

Assalamu alaikum and hi again to all

I am intrigued after reading two separate articles in the Star today with both touching on the need to develop a positive mentality in Malaysian sports. One was a comment by the goliath world champion by the name of Nicol Ann David while the other was from the ex-national hockey player Jiwa Mohan on rewarding mediocrity.

All through the years in the higher education industry I have realised that this lack of positivity and boleh dan mahu mentality is the single biggest disease hampering the youth in Malaysia. The culture of cukup2 makan is deeply ingrained so much so that it is bred and practised further once these graduates turn into employees of corporate Malaysia. Add the lack of communication skills and presto, you have a social nightmare and subsequent grim economic aftermath in your hands.

As educators, advisors, parents, sponsors as well as other stakeholders we must take the responsibility of instilling a winning culture in our youths in all areas of life. The development of the nation relies greatly on the competitiveness of its younger generation which in turn may only be achieved through holistic nurturing.

The nurturing of youth are both hard toil and an irreversible process. With stakes so high, care should be taken in ensuring that the policies in youth development are not made victims of unscrupulous limelight-hogging, power-maniacal politics.

As it is, the sight of a clueless 22-year old junior who is unable to speak her mind is very, very disturbing. Imagine that this person has an equal right to decide on the future of our nation through the balloting box.

Regards and Wassalam

The Critical Need to be Critical

Assalamu alaikum and hello everyone

Just to share this quote on the need to be critical in our society:

I was telling you earlier about the three elements in my morals. They are (1) the refusal to accept as self-evident the things that are proposed to us; (2) the need to analyze and to know, since we can accomplish nothing without reflection and understanding ‹thus, the principle of curiosity; and (3) the principle of innovation: to seek out in our reflection those things that have never been thought or imagined. Thus: refusal, curiosity, innovation.

Michel Foucault. Power, Moral Values, and the Intellectual. An Interview with Michel Foucault by Michael Bess, History of the Present 4 (Spring 1988), p. 1.

Regards and Wassalam

The Glion Colloquium

Assalamu alaikum and hi all

Over the past decade the Glion Colloquium has established itself as an influential think tank on higher education issues, in particular related to research intensive universities. Every two years the colloquium brings together, generally in Glion, above Montreux, Switzerland, twenty leaders from renowned universities and university organizations, along with influential figures from business and government, especially from Northern America and Europe, but also from leading institutions in other parts of the world.

The Glion Colloquium was launched in 1998 and immediately drew attention with the publication of “The Glion Declaration: the University at the Millennium”, prepared for the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education in the 21st Century, held in Paris in October 1998.

In 1998 the Glion Colloquium identified several challenges facing higher education in the new millenium through a survey done on the participants of the colloquium. These challenges include:

1. The changing environment
 Globalization
 The influence of Technology
2. Missions
 Responsive and responsible universities
 The changing shape of research universities
 Emergence of competitors to traditional universities
3. Students and teaching
 Students
 Teaching
4. The academic profession
 The changing role of teachers
 Tenure
 Developing a new generation of staff
5. Higher education finance
 Securing revenue
 Reducing costs
6. Governance
 Main shortcomings
 Ways to improve university governance
7. Comparing the United States and Western Europe

In discussing the comparison between universities in the United States to that of Western Europe, Weber (1999) identified among others, the original institutional setting and the different roles of the Rector/Vice Chancellor of the two continents with the former more inclined in finding investment, funding and sponsorship opportunities.

Further, the administration of American universities is apparently less constrained by public rules or direct political intervention. Arguably the additional freedom granted to the American universities is cited by many as the reason behind the excellent performance of the American universities in the annual Times Higher Education Index (THEI).

Antara Perubahan, Reformasi dan Inovasi

Assalamu alaikum dan salam sejahtera para pembaca yang budiman

Saya ingin meminta maaf terhadap kelewatan pengkemaskinian laman blog ini yang disebabkan oleh kesuntukan masa bagi memenuhi semua tanggungjawab saya. Saya tidak menetapkan sela masa yang tertentu sebenarnya bagi menukilkan tulisan di dalam blog ini dan mengalu-alukan apa-apa sumbangan pendapat dan cadangan yang boleh mencetuskan sempadan ilmu yang baru (new frontier of knowledge).

Pembaca yang budiman

Di dalam suasana makroekonomi yang tidak menentu ini sudah acapkali kita mendengar luahan hasrat pelbagai pihak terhadap perlunya suatu perubahan. Perubahan ini bukan sekadar perubahan dalaman yakni daripada cara hidup, tabiat perbelanjaan, sikap dan positiviti, cara berfikir dan pembentukan paradigma, malahan terhadap sistem dan struktur seperti dasar pendidikan tinggi di Malaysia, polisi kesaksamaan pembangunan sosio-ekonomi antara kaum, dasar kewangan (seperti yang telah mencetuskan kemelut sub prima di Amerika Syarikat), sistem penilaian matawang, khususnya Dolar sebagai matawang sejagat bagi dagangan petrol, dasar luar Amerika Syarikat, dan sebagainya.

Umum bersetuju bahawa perubahan itu perlu bagi menjamin kelangsungan dan survival sesebuah dasar atau idea yang unggul. Namun demikian, perubahan itu sebenarnya hanya akan terjadi jika berlakunya reformasi. Reformasi sebenarnya bermaksud perubahan positif hasil daripada perancangan teliti yang diselia perlaksanaannya dengan rapi. Maka perubahan yang terjadi akibat daripada sesuatu peristiwa yang tidak sengaja (by chance, rather than by design) itu tidaklah dikategorikan sebagai reformasi dan bukanlah sesuatu yang patut diamalkan apatah lagi dibanggakan oleh seseorang penggubal dasar atau perancang polisi.

Inovasi pula merupakan alat atau wadah kepada reformasi yang dicetuskan oleh seorang pemimpin yang berpandangan jauh dan mempunyai karisma kepimpinan serta kemahiran berkomunikasi yang baik. Inovasi ini perlu bagi membantu merubah sikap lama atau status quo yang biasanya hadir merentang arus-arus perubahan.

Apa yang dikesalkan kini ialah terdapat inovasi-inovasi yang tidak tuntas kajiannya daripada segi mekanisme dan perlaksanaan. Lebih buruk adalah omong kosong yang bersifat populist yang hanya merugikan negara pada jangka masa panjang. Ini termasuklah segala keputusan mengenai dasar yang bersifat politik dan tidak diputuskan berpandukan empirical evidence dan maklumbalas daripada pelbagai pihak.

Harapan saya kita adalah supaya kita semua dapat melihat dengan lebih kritis setiap syor dan perancangan yang disuapkan kepada kita setiap hari. Saya fikir kita harus besikap demikian demi memenuhi tanggungjawab kita menjaga amanah bumi Malaysia ini untuk generasi kita yang akan datang, Insya Allah.