NEVER confuse education with intelligence, you can have a PhD and still be an idiot – Richard Feynman.
Reading the statement released by the 115 “ilmuwans” who pledged their support to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and his backdoor government, one could not but wonder the motive behind the declaration; particularly in the context of the timing of its release, the background of where some of the personalities come from, the nuance, and some “magical words” implanted into the statement.
The declaration has no added value in so far as its academic utility is concerned.
In fact to many who are familiar with the Malaysian academic landscape and some of the personalities signing the declaration, the statement reeks of nothing but self-serving political sycophancy.
After a hiatus of two years, it appears that articulations of this nature might be making a comeback.
In the past these academic hedging manoeuvres were useful to help further the ambitions of those academics who are capability-wise challenged.
Perhaps now the old playbook is being taken out again.
These ilmuwans have every right to take a political stand of their own. Rightfully or wrongfully. Sincerely or otherwise.
But to expect that the lay public would be inspired to follow suit just because they are a bunch of ilmuwans? They must be dreaming.
Most members of the public are wise enough to appreciate that sincerity and trustworthiness are uncompromising principles to be embedded in their minds and souls; and something to be instilled in the minds and souls of their children.
Incidentally these are also the principles held so dearly by the Malay-Islam community, the very same community they insisted in their declaration, whose values are to be adopted as the core value of Malaysian society.
In deciding to throw their support behind the backdoor government, these ilmuwans have unwittingly revealed their true values and principles.
Sincerity and trustworthiness could be somewhere at the bottom of their priority list, if they ever exist at all.
Alas, these are the people whom the nation has put the trust on, to groom and educate our future generations.
At the time when the nation is besieged by a serious pandemic threat, the public would expect substantive, relevant and wholesome output from such a group of ilmuwans.
They would prefer to see intellectual output that at least could show them how to come to terms with the current crisis and in its aftermath; and how to navigate the uncertain future.
Unfortunately, these ilmuwans are simply not up to it.
It is interesting to note that this group of academics have decided to call themselves ilmuwans – a loaded word indeed.
We just hope that they will continue to use this term to exclusively describe themselves and to distinguish themselves from other common academics.
How loaded or hollow this term would be could only be determined by their action and the substance that they produce. – June 23, 2020.
* Lt Col Ahmad Ghazali Abu-Hassan of the Royal Malay Regiment (rtd) reads The Malaysian Insight.
* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.
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Comments
Posted 5 years ago by Chee yee ng · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by Ang Peng Wong · Reply
- floods in Kelantan caused by the wrath of God
- there are 500 countries in the world
- etc
??????
Posted 5 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply
Other countries prepare their children for the 21st century by introducing computer coding in primary schools, our "ilmuwans" in the Education Ministry go backwards centuries past to introduce "Khat"?
Was our ex-Education Minister an "ilmuwan"?
Posted 5 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by T E · Reply