Time that the SK Seri Pristana issue be brought to the Cabinet for action

Media Statement by M Kula Segaran, DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Ipoh Barat in Ipoh on Friday, August 9, 2013

Time that the SK Seri Pristana issue be brought to the Cabinet for action 

In his latest book “"One Man's View of the World" launched 3 days ago, Singapore’s Former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, while commenting on Malaysia’s race based policies, had said :- .

“Malaysia is prepared to lose its talent through its race-based policies in order to maintain the dominance of one race.
And although Malaysia has acknowledged the fact that they are losing these talents and is making an attempt to lure Malaysians back from overseas, such efforts may be too little too late.
This is putting the country at a disadvantage. It is voluntarily shrinking the talent pool needed to build the kind of society that makes use of talent from all races.” 

Lee Kuan Yew is an internationally well respected person who never minces his words.

It does not however mean that we have to agree with everything he says or that everything he says is correct.

However, can Malaysian government disagree with him that the race based politics and policies have resulted in the nation’s brain drain to Singapore and many parts of the world?

While it is true that there are other factors like economic aspect that have caused the loss of many Malaysian talents, nevertheless the race based policy is the major factor for the brain drain.

It is time that the nation’s problems must no longer be addressed in the wrong perspective – the dichotomy of bumiputra versus non bumiputra.  Affirmative policies must be based on need, and not on race.

Race based politics and policies do not only result in brain drain, they also hamper efforts to bring about national unity.

The question is therefore does the government have the political will to bring the nation out of the “ race quagmire” that BN has got the nation stuck into before it is really too late?

Lee Kuan Yew had described Pakatan Rakyat as an opportunistic and ad hoc group not held together by even a vaguely coherent set of ideas and it will break up or be paralysed if given the power to run the federal government".

I certainly do not agree with Lee’s view and I believe the 51 % of voters who had supported PR in the last general election too do not agree with him.

If PR is indeed just a coalition out to win government only with no coherent set of ideas, how could PR inspire so much hope and confidence among the people?

Nevertheless, time and PR coalition can and will prove that a future PR federal government is a workable, reliable and stable government that can bring about A Better Malaysia for All.

SK Seri Pritana Issue 

The SK Seri Pristana “Meals in Changing Room” incident has shocked and angered the public.
Malaysians are now more shocked that the Education Minister could ignore the subsequent plight and pain faced by the daughter of the whistleblower.

The whistleblower, Guneswari Kelly decided to transfer her daughter out of the school because she has been a target of bullying and ostracizing.

2 days ago, Guneswari Kelly said she was putting her daughter in a vernacular school in Subang, adding she made this decision after her child allegedly was shamed during school assemblies and subjected to constant racial slurs by teachers and schoolmates.

"One of her teachers harassed her by accusing her of bringing shame to the school. She also told my daughter she was not fit to be a pupil of the school," Guneswari told internet portal The Malaysian Insider.

Why has the Education Minister remained silent when what he should have done is to punish and transfer out the headmaster and teachers?

3 days ago, I had asked him if he is powerless or heartless or both? He has not responded.

What message is he trying to tell headmasters, teachers and students throughout the country- that it is okay for a pupil to be bullied and ostracised?  

Perhaps he does not mind being called powerless or heartless.  

But the nation cannot allow such injustice to prolong.

It is time that the issue must be brought to the Cabinet for action.

Let’s see if there is any Minister who will bring this issue up in the coming Cabinet meeting.