Excuse us, Maszlee, a promise made must be kept

Jahabar Sadiq Jahabar Sadiq Updated 7 years ago · Published on 5 Sep 2018 4:56PM · 11 Comments

Ministers like Maszlee Malik must remember that it is the people who have given him his mandate, as they want a government that will make Malaysia better. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, September 5, 2018.

IT’S Day 118 of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, and Maszlee Malik has been education minister for 110 days.

And one day as International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) president.

That hasn’t gone down well with many in the PH government, and more so the man-in-the-street or the opposition. Some say it is tradition for an education minister to be IIUM president, as both Anwar Ibrahim and Najib Razak held the post when they were education ministers.

True, but that is how Barisan Nasional (BN) did it when it was the government. It is not the government now; PH is. And PH has said it will not do double duty for a lot of appointments.

Consider the previous PH candidate for the education ministry portfolio. His name is Dr Mahathir Mohamad. But he is also the prime minister and was reminded that he cannot hold any other cabinet post.

He acquiesced and named Maszlee to the post, signalling confidence in a man who had just joined Bersatu and won a seat the first time he ever contested a general election.

So much is expected of Maszlee. More so as the education minister. 

He promised as much in an interview with the New Straits Times on June 7, saying,“This is a new era. I will make sure that the Pakatan Harapan government will never misuse universities for political interests… this includes me.

Education Minister Maszlee Malik has huge challenges ahead, apart from freeing the colour of school shoes or the weight of school bags for primary schoolchildren. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, September 5, 2018.

“We will neither control and dictate to them (the universities) nor force them (to do anything). We really want the universities to enjoy their autonomy and cultivate academic freedom in their territory,” he said.

No one is saying that he will control IIUM as president but what are the reasons to give him that post?  Aren’t there other capable people for this job? How about the other universities? Are they of lesser value to the education minister?

Ministers such as Maszlee must remember who gave them their mandate. It is the people, who want a government that will make a better Malaysia but not at the expense of their trust and money.

As it is, he has huge challenges ahead, apart from freeing the colour of school shoes or the weight of school bags for primary schoolchildren. His attention is needed to ensure Malaysia has the best teachers and education system for the future.

Dr Mahathir had said he wanted vision schools so that children of all races in all types of schools can study and play together for unity. But some things he can’t just leave to enactments and laws.

That vision needs everyone to work together. That vision needs an education minister who is focused on the task at hand. Not one who wears many hats and handles too many things on his work desk.

Maszlee, try to be the Dr Mahathir of 2018. Focus on the job at hand. – September 5, 2018.

* Jahabar Sadiq runs The Malaysian Insight.

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Comments

  • POLITICIANS ARE LIKE DIAPERS. PROMISE NOT KEPT.VOTE THEM OUT GE15.RAKYAT IS THE MASTER BEAR IN MIND. DON'T PLAY PLAY YOU KNOW. NO GOOD WE VOTE BACK BN.

    Posted 7 years ago by CHEE Meng Ng · Reply

  • Maszlee you are a newbie. Dont take in more than you can chew...
    Remember you have still not proven your worth, sorry to say..
    Turning white school shoes to black isnt really an achievement!!

    Posted 7 years ago by Thiruchelvam Thirunavukarasu · Reply

  • Many gave you the opportunity putting aside the benefit of a doubt. You have made a big mistake in taking on more than you have yet to prove!!!

    Posted 7 years ago by Lana Tan · Reply

  • Poor communications by PH is making their lives unnecessarily difficult. If they think its in line with the non-interference of politics in academia, then it has to be better explained than at present. I understand this university is different to mainstream unis so that must be made clear. PH need some professionalism in communications. Having said that, it would never happen in the UK.

    Posted 7 years ago by Malaysia New hope · Reply

  • Maszlee, please resign from ministerial post so that you can focus on your new task in UIA.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lee Yih Ven · Reply

  • This moron mazlee has given another reason for wanting to vote in the klepto regime. What not? At least i know those morons are gonna rob me blind. Here we have a bunch of morons who have absolutely no idea what they want and what the majority wants. This comes after some major pussy putting by azizah and until today she does not have the marbles to call a spade a spade. Then comes khalid. Tells us that the kiara project will most likely continue. Please tell me why i voted for these morons?

    Posted 7 years ago by Guna Rethinasamy · Reply

  • Maszlee Malik is a total failure as the Minister of Education. He has done nothing impressive so far. Better to replace him as education is a very important post before he does more damage.

    Posted 7 years ago by T E · Reply

  • PH need better quality ministers. The only ministers who seem to be doing their job are the DAP ministers. The other ministers from the other parties are grossly underperforming. They have no leadership, no ideas, Poor communication skills, flip flop, poor implementation, cant get their priorities right, clueless, afraid to make decisions. The people are starting to lose faith in them to govern..if you sit in the coffee shop and people are griping about this new government. Education is so very important and we have such an incompetent minister at the helm.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lily Cheong · Reply

  • Maszlee is the wrong person to head the Education Ministry.

    Posted 7 years ago by Rance ramasamy · Reply

  • Listening to Maszlees speeches made more sense to me then any other self declared or humanly declared religious authority. I still remember at the place i worked last year in puchong, ATM and PDRM patrolling the shopping malls together. Why? I saw fear in the faces of my colleagues and other patrons. How many Malayus already got arrested for wanting to bomb shitz up? Every year no fail its in the papers. Our brethren go to arab countries come back in their kurtas and burkas, those that still remember loyalty to king and country nevermind. Those that tukar otak and only loyal to religion, mcm mana? Bomb lagi? Recognize the root of problems. Maszlee want post in iium so be it, rather he do it then some twisted fxckhead that goes around preaching in islam, girls can get married when fhey reach puberty

    Posted 7 years ago by Sharin Ling · Reply

  • So many other things to fix in the eduction system of this country. Surely he needs to prioritize. What about the other universities??? He needs to refuse or step down.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lyn Y · Reply