Dr Mahathir to assume duties of education minister

Updated 4 years ago · Published on 10 Jan 2020 12:43PM · 4 Comments

PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad will assume the education minister post until a permanent person is appointed. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, January 10, 2020.

THE prime minister will assume the duties of the education minister until a permanent person is appointed, said the Prime Minister’s Office today.

“Following the vacant ministerial position, the cabinet on January 8 decided that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad will assume the responsibilities temporarily.

“This decision is effective January 3 and Dr Mahathir will assume the position until a new education minister is appointed,” said the statement today.

Last Friday, education minister Dr Maszlee Malik announced he was quitting, citing three of his decisions which were perceived to have plunged the Pakatan Harapan government into crisis.

The three decisions he named were for the teaching of Jawi in the vernacular schools, providing the schools with internet access, and the free breakfast programme in school.

On Wednesday, Dr Mahathir confirmed that Maszlee was asked to resign but that it was not over any particular issue.

Dr Mahathir said the education minister was not to be blamed for any of the ministry’s missteps.

The Malaysian Insight had previously reported that Maszlee was asked to quit as education minister because of his failure to heed cabinet directives and for often putting Putrajaya in a difficult position.

This was gleaned from a long letter from Dr Mahathir to Maszlee.

The letter, among others, stated that the former International Islamic University Malaysia lecturer did not listen to advice, and on several occasions, had gone against cabinet decisions.– January 10, 2020.

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Comments

  • The agenda of DR M and the Malaysian people on education differ. While the former wants to make Malaysia more Malay, others including Malays want Malaysia to be Malaysian. No need for Bahasa Melayu anymore, we need Bahasa Malaysia and these Arabic scripts are not necessary and a total waste of time in the 21st century. Bad enough when DR M was PM for 22 years-the education system slide to a very low level. Now it is even worse. Children cant speak English. Why does DR M insist in picking eggheads as Ministers of Education when we have a vast number of expert educationalist in this country. This Malay Dilemma nonsense must end-it is now a Malaysian Dilemma. Let us get some top gun educationalist-Iban, Malay,Chinese or Indian -on merit and get our educational system on track.

    Posted 4 years ago by Joseph Muniandy · Reply

  • Be bald to scrap the quota system. The Malays will surely one day be grateful for that.

    Posted 4 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Be bald to scrap the quota system. The Malays will surely one day be grateful for that.

    Posted 4 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • TDM not a good choice as Education minister All can witness every Developing Value in Schools is ERODING FAST N SURE.

    Posted 4 years ago by Lucky Boy · Reply