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  by eDdA cOmOt 2 years ago

  Unemployed grads in Malaysia (What really went wrong)
  [ Category: Thoughts ]
  
  
  It is indeed(sememangnya) troubling to learn that tens of thousand of our local graduates are walking aimlessly in their road of careership. It is even more troubling that this is happening in a country where the economy is blooming, and networks of industries and companies are mushrooming, particularly in big cities like Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Bharu.
  
  Of course, this scary irony has magnetized another tens of thousands of reasons and opinions in trying to answer the big question: "What really went wrong?" And in the process of doing so, blaming becomes the ultimately(cara trakir) tool. To date, almost everyone and everything possible to be blamed has received it. The government, academic institutions, the unemployed grads themselves, human rights, religions, the media...and the list goes on . And since every form of human is unique, all answers are both right and wrong, to be fair.
  
  However, some answers can be more acceptable than the rest. And since I was a local graduate from a local institution, and now working with the local government, I believe my observation of what I believe went wrong would be a little different than the others.
  
  One of the most accepted arguments is that the real problem lies in the employability of today's graduates. Few really has the determination and self-motivation to really pursue(mengejar) during their academic life. Another, also a highly accepted reason, is that local graduates are only academically competent, but lack other soft skills. Finally, there's a belief that local grads are too proud that they would not go for jobs that are incompetent to their scroll.
  
  What I do believe regarding these opinions is that they are not really the key problems. On the contrary, they are the output of the few real problems. The effect of something that has gone wrong. And I believe one of that problems begins since day one of entering the local institution: Orientation.
  
  Malaysia's local universities conduct orientations the same way universities in other countries conduct theirs. The one big difference is that while Western universities welcome undergraduates as bright people destined to be successful in life, the local ones receive freshies like they are small kids: Stress on senior-junior status, pressure, campus politics, and then more pressure. While Malaysian studying overseas are accepted as another adult family member, those studying in their own country enters back into boarding schools.
  
  The effect of this simple yet so profoundly devastating exercise is, lower self-image. Yes, self-image, or how one view himself, is what I believe to be the big factor in determining how the person write up his own history..or in this case, how the graduates put themselves in the life after university.
  
  However, having said that, I am very confident that most of our local unemployed graduates aren't the unfinished article. They are not failed products. Instead, they are still brilliant people, with the only shortcoming of not being able to realize their full potential. That is why books on managing oneself or how to be successful would almost always push the importance of having the right mental judgment of personal self, or to put it in another way, the idea of respecting oneself. If you could not respect youself, it is almost certain that others would not be able to respect you. And since local graduates do have brains that are proven to be working, the only other recipe would be a high self-image and self-esteem. Soft skills and other self-motivated factor that would propel success will come out later. So, to those who are at the verge of quitting the efforts, I believe it's not the time to do so. To a friend of mine, it is NOT your fault, so stop blaming yourself, and remember the powerful saying "Nobody can make you feel inferior(kurang baik) without your permission (even the interviewers!)", and certainly you love yourself to much to give such permissions. All the best!
  
  http://www.elaneman.com/post/2/1157466257/unemployed_grads_in_malaysia_what_really_went_wrong_.html
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Unemployed Graduates: How can We Address this Situation? Nor Hartini Bt. Saari
  Pegawai Penyelidik
  
  27/12/2007 | Artikel Bahasa Inggeris
  Unemployed graduates have become among the worlds major concerns lately. Why are there so many graduates unemployed? And what factors lead to unemployed graduates?
  Researchers have voiced that higher education institutions, the job market and the needs of the labor market for graduates are different in comparison to twenty years ago. The labor market is now less predictably(ramal) changing is more rapidly(cepat) and is more competitive(saingan). As a result, some graduates face difficulties in finding jobs.
  According to the findings of a Graduate Tracer Study in 2006, 30.7% of graduates remained unemployed six months after convocation, while 5.7% were still awaiting job placement. The study involved 132 900 graduates from 18 public universities, 18 polytechnics, 34 community colleges and 13 private institutions of higher learning from all over Malaysia. (New Strait Times, 2007)
  Many factors have been identified as being the causes for the increase in the unemployment rate among university graduates. Having straight ‘As' is no longer enough to secure(selamat) a job or to give one a competitive edge in career advancement(kemajuan).
  According to the Minister of Human Resources, more than 65% of female graduates in this country are employed because they lack social and communication skills in addition to a poor command of language and low levels of self confidence. He added that many female graduates had achieved excellent academic results but could not secure employment without the relevant skills required in the labor market. The number of unemployed female graduates is also much higher in comparison male graduates (The Star, 2005).
  How to solve this problem? There are many graduates, but they lack skills and experience. Generally, there is a trend that most organizations prefer to recruit those with experience. The work environment now requires graduates to have some work experience in addition to the requirement of graduation to ensure that employers sustain their economic competitiveness.
  In the current labor market, graduates not only need to compete among themselves, but also with other less educated candidates with years of work experiences. As a result, a fresh graduate's chance of employment is becoming a growing problem.
  It has been assumed that the lack of experience and skills are the causes leading to the unemployment of graduate's. In Malaysia, the private sector today is not interested in recruiting local graduates because they lack several important skills, such as the capacity to communicate well in English, a lack of ICT proficiency, and a lack of interpersonal skills. This scenario reveals that, there is a skills gap between what skills are required by employers and what skills graduates have.
  In order to remedy the situation, the Malaysian government has implemented several steps in order to reduce the number of unemployed graduates.
  The Ministry Of Human Resources, through their industry training institute has introduced a programmed referred to as ‘unemployed graduates training scheme' in order to equip fresh graduates with certain skills and experience. They have allocated roughly RM 500 million towards the scheme. However, according to the Minister, only 1400 graduates have been employed after participating in the aforementioned training scheme.
  Suitable degree programs are not the only mechanisms for developing work skills in higher education. Students are encouraged to take part in extra curricular activities which may assist them in developing soft skills. It is important for a student to begin accumulating as much work related experience (soft skills) as early as they can.
  Soft skills are generally categorized into three areas; character, interpersonal skill and critical and creative thinking. These skills enable one to communicate effectively, manage relationships, lead a team, and solve problems. Soft skill development should be inculcated into the education syllabus. It is important to teach soft skills required to survive and succeed in the work market.
  Lecturers, being the closest people to students, should continuously encourage them to gain work experience and soft skills on campus and off campus. Most of the students seem unaware of the importance of work experience. In order to assist students, a lecturer may use several approaches to enhance their skills and knowledge; for example to stimulate the minds of students with discussions and case studies.
  This approach may help students integrate their knowledge and skills with real cases. Apart from that, the lecturer may also allow students to interact with outsiders or to organize social activities.
  This will forced student to go out and exposed themselves to the outside world and conduct research as partial fulfillment for their degree programs. The process in preparing research involves skill and knowledge.
  However, in order for this happen, the Higher Education Ministry must ensure that the tertiary education system is relevant to the current scenario. It should have a dedicated department or taskforce which can monitor the learning environment in the universities that can influence the development of a student.
  In addition, the Ministry should continually evaluate programs or courses offered in order to help higher institution produce quality graduate's who are attractive and productive to the competitive labor market.
  http://www.ikim.gov.my/v5/index.php?lg=1&opt=com_article&grp=2&sec=&key=1482&cmd=resetall
• 

  by eDdA cOmOt 2 years ago

  Wealth of Culture
  ARTS & CULTURE
  Malaysia has a rich and colourful cultural heritage. Many of the traditional arts, culture and crafts are diligently kept alive by the various communities. Traditional dances and music hold a ' special place in the performing arts and every community has something to present at festivals or special occasions. Aside from religious festivals, Malaysians find many occasions to celebrate. There are a large number of public festivals and parades at certain times of the year.
  
  Some of these include the Penang street festival known as Chingay, the National Day or 'Merdeka' celebration in Kuala Lumpur on August 31 and the 'Colours of Malaysia' which showcases the cultural heritage of the 13 states consisting of a grand procession as well as traditional dance performances and food promotion at participating hotels and complexes in Kuala Lumpur in September. In Kelantan, a colourful display of giant kites weave in the wind in late May in the International Kite Festival which draws participants from the region and follower enthusiasts from Europe and Japan.
  
  Most states have performance venues for staging dance and music festivals, while top restaurants in the high-density tourist areas also provide stages or open halls where these activities can be observed and enjoyed. A good time to observe these performances is during the festivals held by each ethnic group such as at Hari Raya and Chinese New Year. Traditional games are usually played in the kampungs (villages). These are especially important to the Malay community and most have been preserved in their original forms. There are numerous cultural activities and festivals taking place throughout the year. All are guaranteed to make memorable experiences and interesting snapshots for the visitor to take home.
  
  
  FESTIVALS AND CELEBRATIONS
  Malaysia is a veritable land of festivals and celebrations. The major festivals of its multi-racial communities are celebrated to mark important events or days in their religious calendars. Most of them are colourful occasions when centuries-old customs and traditions are still observed. Prior to major festivals, there is usually a feverish burst of activity as people from the urban centres make the annual exodus to their hometowns while in individual homes earnest preparations are made in anticipation of the auspicious day.
  
  Getting the house in order with extensive spring cleaning and decorations, shopping for new clothes, festival delicacies and stocking ample food is the norm. The holding of 'open house' by the different communities during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year, Deepavah, Christmas, Gawai and Ka'amatan festivals is a heart-warning feature unique to Malaysian society. Such gatherings foster goodwill and provide the opportunity to renew social ties in a convivial atmosphere with the hosts usually feting their guests to a generous spread of food and drinks.
  
  There are many other exciting international, national and state events that take place throughout the year around the country. Some have become regular tourist attractions. Tourism Malaysia publishes an annual Calendar of Events which provides a listing of the most important events held throughout the country.
  http://www.asia-planet.net/malaysia/wealth-culture.htm
• 

  by eDdA cOmOt 2 years ago

  The increasing unemployment rate among the graduates in Malaysia is a worrying trend. For many years, the issue cropped up again and again, made the news headlines, and even hit the parliament.
  The days have passed when a degree scroll can become your automatic passport to employment. Higher education is no longer a symbol of career success. This may sound painful for graduates but let’s face it. It is reality, no matter how harsh it may appear.
  In July 2006, The Sun newspaper reported that the unemployment rate of public universities has reached a staggering 70%, whereas the private institutions recorded 26% and foreign graduates 34%. Out of the 70%, the highest unemployment was contributed by the following statistics:
  1. Universiti Teknologi MARA, UiTM – 3,278 (16.2%)
  2. Universiti Utara Malaysia, UUM – 1,532 (7.6%)
  3. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM – 1,147 (5.7%)
  4. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM – 971 (4.8%)
  5. Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM – 919 (4.5%)
  The situation was somewhat different before the 1997 crisis when Malaysia was having a vibrant employment and graduates were in high demand. But those were the good old days and things are no longer the same today. Is the job market getting more competitive, or it is the job seekers and graduates are actually unmarketable these days? Can we blame it entirely on education?
  Perhaps we can take a look at some contributing factors:
  1. Economy
  The changing of the economic structure and landscape is a probable cause for the rise in the unemployment. For many years, the manufacturing has been the strongest sector in the country until it is now being progressively replaced by the services sector. The services sector requires people who do not only possess the right technical knowledge, but also those who possess the right soft skills – interpersonal, communication, wisdom, maturity and are business oriented. Now, getting graduates with that kind of quality is a tough endeavor these days. It is even hard to find graduates who can speak moderate English.
  Additionally, unlike the manufacturing sector, a company providing services would not require a large number of staff to be employed. Statistics show that between 2006 and 2007, the country’s manufacturing employment grew by 3%, from 3.244 million workers, to 3.347 million. The business services sector employment, on the other hand grew by 2.6%, from 0.771 million, to 0.791 million.
  Now, where GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth is concerned, the manufacturing growth recorded 3.1% whereas services tops the chart with a thumping 9% growth.
  In English, this means that while the employment growth of services sector is lower compared to manufacturing, it is actually contributing to much higher economic achievement. Get the picture?
  2. Quality of education
  It seems that every year the country produces more and more brilliant students. This is evident with the increasing number of straight A students in SPM. It is also easier to find degree holders with first class honors. Surely, this is a good yardstick of the graduate’s quality. Is it? Not so, it seems.
  My own experience with graduates – not once, but many times – has convinced me that today’s academic achievement has little to do with how well you can excel in the working world. I used to be short listing 4-5 first class graduates for an interview and in the end rejected them all, and hired a second class student instead. It seems that the country is blessed with institutions highly capable to produce low quality, academic achievers. This statement may not bode well with some of the institutions out there but this should be taken as a challenge, not a mockery.
  3. Choosy job seekers
  I remember when I first got my first job in Penang, I did not have a permanent place to stay as my hometown was back in Terengganu. I was temporarily staying in an old friend’s house. I also did not own any car or motorbike. When asked by my boss how I was going to report for my first day of work, I told him that I would be using the company’s bus.
  As the buses were used to transport the production operators, my boss laughed at my face and told me that I would be the first engineer in the history of the company to have used bus coming to work. I got a new place to stay, and my own car only after few months working with the company. The most interesting part is that, I didn’t even ask about the salary when I accepted the job!
  But how different it is today. Nowadays, candidates are expecting job offer to come with a package – a good pay, convenient working location, no shift, no work beyond 6pm and so on, with everything handed in a silver platter. Job seekers have come to me to complaints and made admissions that shocked me till no end.
  They are not willing to drive from Sentul to Cyberjaya because “It’s very far and I do not want to spend this much money on toll everyday”. Another was not willing to take the LRT from Cheras to Masjid Jamek because “too many people in the train and this will make me stressful.” To date I am yet to come across a job seeker that will tell me, “I’m so glad with this opportunity. As for the transportation, accommodation and other matters, no worries, I will settle them from my end here. I am just glad I don’t need to rely on my parents for pocket money anymore.” Will you be one?
  4. Lack of guidance
  Blaming the graduates themselves for the whole predicament is not entirely right either. After all, they are products of a flawed system. Majority of them are oblivious to the expectation from them in the employment market. Upon graduation, they become babies again, not ready to face the real world. The supposedly days of liberation suddenly becomes the days of uncertainty. This happens due to obvious discrepancy between the education and the employment – i.e. study is study and work is work. This gap needs an immediate bridging.
  While organizing a career fair and sending penultimate students for industrial placement are commendable effort, these are just not enough. Graduating students need a closer feel to the employment world. The career office should be their second home. If that also means bringing executives, engineers and managers into the university to give practical advice to the students, by all means do it. Universiti Teknologi Petronas, UTP has pioneered this move, which won a praise by The Star reader today.
  I must take my hat off to University Technology Petronas (UTP), which has formed an Industry Advisory Panel (IAP), and invites professionals from the industry to review their curriculum and suggest areas for improvement. UTP is serious about this and has implemented many of the suggestions introduced by its IAP.
  UTP also has an adjunct lectures series where professionals are called in to give lectures to the undergraduates. I think these are good initiatives that other universities would do well to emulate.
  - Shyam Lakshmanan, The Star, 17 April 2008
  5. Choosy employers
  There is no need for long explanation here. As Zaid Ibrahim (that new MP) put it in his book, In Good Faith, it’s catch-22 situation – if the employer is putting ‘working experience’ as a pre-requisite to get a job, when is the fresh graduates going to get their first job?
  Image: U of Alberta
  Technorati Tags: fresh graduates, malaysia unemployment
• 

  by nazri abdullah 2 years ago

  National Education Blueprint Misses Race Integration Trust
  Posted by: peter yew
  
  When I read the various strategies of the NEB I could not find any reference to emphasis on bringing the various races together in closer unity. All I read was talk of making our education system world-class and centres of excellence. Of what use are these targets if our children grow up not as Malaysians but as Malays, Chinese and Indians? The present state of affair is proof that many mistakes has been made in the past. Therefore a further misguided emphasis in our education policy will bring further damages to our future. I would say stop talking about trying to be world-class but identify areas we have fallen over the past 25 years and rectify the damage before it is too late.
  
  Another thing I feel is that teachers must be teaching and not be involved in school administration and other non-teaching activities. Let this be a constant reminder to those in charge of our national education planning and implementation.
• 

  by fatima moez 2 years ago

  Malaysia is a multi-racial country consisting of the Malays as the major ethnic group, the Chinese, Indians as well as other minority ethic groups. All these groups live in harmony in support of unity in diversity. A study on inter-ethnic relations serves to deepen inter-racial understanding and enrich positive ethnic relations in Malaysia. The need for debate on inter-racial relations in Malaysia has become increasingly necessary at the current climate due to several factors, foremost being recent incidences that indicate the existence of underlying racial tension. Even though the scenario is not new to the country as there had been previous incidences of similar nature historically, there is a general concern that the issue represents a potential time bomb for the nation.
  
  The availability of various ethnicities and cultures in Malaysia has given rise to a situation resembling a tug-of-war, where each ethnic group feels a defiant inclination to retain their individual identities on one hand, yet recognize the need to accept the fact that inter-dependency is imminent. The issue remains, is multi-ethnicity the sole factor contributing to racial tension?
  
  Most of the previous studies on Malaysian racial relations in the past have focused mainly on economic and social factors. Some sectors claim that the racial conflict stems from political leanings; others feel that the main bone of contention among the different ethnicities is due to the uneven distribution of economic gains (Sanusi Ahmad, 1989). Nevertheless, one important yet largely neglected aspect of analyzing inter-racial relations is from the psychologicical perspective. This paper will attempt to delve into the psychological dimension to show that it can oft-times be a larger source of conflict compared to economic, political or social factors.
  
  In order to establish the conceptual scaffolding in analysing the psychological dimension of inter-ethnic relations, it is crucial to first elaborate on the fundamental elements and concepts behind each ethnic make-up. It is important to have a clear grasp of the issue at hand based on cultural, historical and anecdotal contexts.
  
  2. Malaysian Ethnic Backgrounds
  The process of national integration in Malaysia can be anaylsed based on the contact levels between different ethnic groups. Inter-racial relations in Malaysia remain, at its best, at an accommodative level, where each ethnic group is aware of each other’s social norms and values, yet make a strong stand to defend the erosion of their own culture and livestyles.
  
  The Malaysian multi-racial experience had been one of conflict, competition and cooperation. Inter-racial conflict was displayed historically in the unfortunate May 13 1969 and 4 May 2001 Kampung Medan incidents; whereas inter-racial competition is apparent in the competitive struggle for places in national institutes of higher learning due to the quota system. Lastly, inter-racial cooperation is rule of day especially on political grounds where three different parties, each representing a major ethnic group, work hand-in-hand for the good of the people (rakyat).
  
  The seed of national integration was planted way back in history, beginning with the Malay Malacca Sultanate Kingdom. Around the realms of the sixteenth century (1500s), inter-racial relations were at a harmonious stage, with Indians, Chinese and Arabs living separately yet keeping constant contact with one another for main purpose of economic returns. Yet, this contact level which seemed apparently minimal has resulted in the highest level of assimilation and amalgamation between the ethnic groups, as evidenced by the eventual birth of the Baba and Nyonya community in Malacca.
  
  Around the seventeenth century (1600s) when the country came under the rule of Western forces, each ethnic group kept to their own circles, with little influence from the Portugese and Dutch colonists. However, drastic changes started taking place with the advent of British rule in the country. Inter-racial tension began to take place following the British implementation of economic developmental policies based on ethnicities. The Chinese, who traditionally stayed in the cities carried out businesses and mining, the Malays were told to stay in the villages to perform farming activities as they had been doing for generations, whereas the Indians were kept grounded to the rubber and palm oil estates. The ‘divide and rule’ policies initiated by the British resulted in a multi-racial society that is characterized by a wide social divide between races.
  
  During the Emergency insurgency, inter-racial relations improved somewhat, out of an understanding for the need of cooperation between races. Merdeka or Independence, brought about strong integration where all major races worked together in a political alliance (Perikatan) consisting of the United Malay National Organization (UMNO) represented by the Malay ethnic group, the Malaysia Chinese Association (MCA) representing the Chinese and the Malaysia Indian Congress (MIC) representing the Indians. This cohesive cooperation was born out of the unifying desire for the same vision, which is to achieve independence. The same cooperative spirit of nation-building was apparent in the early years of independence, particularly in the years before and after the formation of Malaysia. During this same period, the Indonesians, under the leadership of president Soekarno, had launched a confrontation against Malaysia with the war cry “Ganyang Malaysia”. The possible threat from this outside force created a unifying effect on all ethnic groups in Malaysia, giving the people a stronger reason for inter-racial cooperation.
  
  This Cooperation and Political Understanding that was established between the races were severely tested in the 13 May 1969 incident, which now marks a black spot in the history of racial relations in Malaysia. Today, the incident is recognized as the climax to inter-racial conflict in this country, which has since resulted in governmental efforts towards national unity and integration between the countrymen. Some of the policies that were formed for this purpose were the New Economic Policy (NEP), National Education Policy and National Cultural Policy.
  
  However, many years after the implementation of the New Economic Policy, various quarters had voiced concern over the apparent failure of the policy particularly in arresting the problem of poverty and the unequal distribution of economic wealth between the races. This phenomenon grew into strong prejudices and discomfort between the ethnic groups. By virtue of its nature, prejudice has the potent power to form dissatisfaction, which could potentially lead to drastic results. According to the sociological theory known as the Frustration Agression Theory, a particular ethnic group or individual who is constantly faced with frustration will eventually react with aggression. This theory cannot be overlooked because the possibility of serious repercussions resulting from racial tension has the potential of repeating itself.
  
  3. Strategies Towards Racial Integration In Malaysia
  In Malaysia, there are various unwritten principles that form the backbone behind the attempts for national integration. Firstly, there is the general consensus that national integration is possible only when each ethnic group is bound together in the spirit of national unity. Secondly, racial integration can happen when the economic divide between the races is reduced or totally eliminated. Thirdly, the establishment and implementation of every national policy whether in the social, economic, cultural and other aspects must not get in the way of each ethnic group from their respective endeavours and industries. Fourthly, the principle of give and take among the leaders of every ethnic group must be the core principle behind the establishment and implementation of national policies.
  
  4. Cultural Tolerance
  Nowhere else in the world is cultural tolerance more important than in a multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious country like Malaysia. The culture of give and take can be viewed from various positive perspectives. For instance, while Bahasa Melayu is the national language for all official purposes, other languages are still being widely used. Similarly, although the Malay culture is practised widely by the general public in daily living and forms the pillar behind national culture, the other ethnic groups are free to practise their individual traditions. Besides that, the sharing of values and joint celebrations during major festivals help bring different races together in a harmonious relationship.
  
  5. Religious tolerance
  Religious tolerance or mutual understanding between religions also forms an important factor in creating racial integration. Although many believe it is easier said than done and the reality poses more challenges than seen on the surface, we must nevertheless continue to be optimistic.
  
  The Malay-Muslim community in Malaysia has been on the forefront of religious tolerance as required of Islam, which is evidenced by the adoption of Midanah city, a multi-cultural society, as a main reference point. According to the Madinah Constitution that was formed by the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W, the Jews in the city were permitted to continue their daily lives according to their own culture and religious creed. The Muslims are continuously being reminded to stay civil and tolerant towards the non-Muslims as per instructed by Allah S.W.T. The following verse forms the guideline for the behaviour of Malay-Muslims in their daily interactions with those of other religions
  
  
  (Surah al-Ankabut (29):46)
  
  As for the Chinese community, they are historically inclined to possess religious tolerance, with the differing Chinese communities in Mainland China displaying religious tolerance in their socio-cultural environments consisting of the three main philosophies of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. All three philosophies are harmoniously inter-twined into their daily lives (Geoffrey Parinder, 1975). In his book Comparative Religion, Drs Sukarji also states the following:
  “In the event that a Confucious believer passes away; his final rites will be conducted according to a combination of the three main religions. The family of the Confucious believer will prepare the paraphernalia necessary for the funeral. A Buddhist monk will recite prayers and religious chantings for the deceased, whereas a Taoist priest will determine the location of the burial ground of the deceased.”
  (Edition II, chap I, pgs 30-31)
  The basic understanding here is that religious tolerance has always been an integral part of the Chinese civilization. As such, the Chinese in Malaysia can practise the same levels of tolerance in the context of our multi-racial society.
• 

  by rasyiqah rusdi 2 years ago

  About Multiracialism
  
  Multiracialism is a certain mind set of social acceptance that promotes communication, goodwill, tolerance and respect between people of different races. This in practice should also allow the races to maintain their cultural independence while ensuring a high level of exchange and understanding.
  Multiracialism has its critics though, many stating that it to be 'multiracial conditioning', or striking a false sense of coherence by inducing strict measures to promote/ensure multiracialism. All of these claims were sharply shot down by politicians and multiracial activists around the world.
  In a country with various races, multiracialism could also be used as a tool to promote a unique national identity. It is often confused with other forms of cultural of ethnic diversity, including multiculturalism and the 'Melting Pot' theory; these will be discussed in later chapters and compared with the ideology of multiracialism.
  To many, multiracialism is an important policy that promotes a peaceful and coherent society. Sadly, its effectiveness is relatively unproven as compared with the forms of cultural and ethnic diversity mentioned above. This is because to this day multiracialism has only been highly associated with one success story-Singapore. (Discussed in The 'Now')
  Multiracial Integration
  
  In the previous page we briefly discussed about multiracialism. Now we will take an in depth look on multiracial integration and why it is considered to be the most difficult part to maintain in a multiracial society.
  
  Definition
  
  Multiracial integration is a subset of multiracialism; it is the part that promotes exchange and respect between races. This is the theoretically the most important part of multiracialism as it ensures a long term stability within a multiracial society by allowing people of different races to identify with each other, whether as friends, workmates or neighbours.The ability to reach out to each other is the most complex and advanced form of multiracialism, requiring inter-racial trust for such long term relations to be established.
  
  Results
  
  Being able to integrate suggests that there is a lesser need for strict government policies as the people will eventually learn to respect each others' customs and religions. People will learn to relate in such a way that they do not call themselves one of their own race or religion, but one of their own countrymen; however they will still be able to recognize themselves as one of their own race. This ideology of self-recognition and inter-racial relations may seem complicated, but it is this that forms the basis of multiracialism.
  It is because of this that multiracialism does not suffer from a major problem arising from other forms of cultural and ethnic diversity, polarization- which will even lead to the formation of racists or even extremist groups.
  
  Importance
  
  It is due to these factors that integration within a community is necessary as just laws and other policies alone cannot guarantee that the people living in those communities will show respect and tolerance towards people of different races. Yes, education by the government and laws are all important to create a multiracial society; but at the end of the day, it is the people, not the government that are going to make that choice on whether to respect anyone from a different race. To the numerous people that will say yes, it is not anything the government said that mattered, but it was that their buddies and neighborhood friends were all part of the racially integrated community that he was to respect.
  This might sound controversial but is in fact a proven part of human psychology; that people are more willing to respect someone they are close with, rather than someone else on the streets. The big question now is, " Are there any better alternatives? "
  Similarities & Differences
  Now, lets discuss about the similarities and differences between these 3 different forms of multiracialism/culturalism. The first one, simply and aptly known as "multiracialism", is the most complex to achieve in our view, as it not only takes into account exchange and respect, but also encourages cultural independence, which is not emphasized in either the melting pot theory or interculturalism. It is the most well rounded but least "specialized" out of the 3 types of multiracialism/culturalism explained here.
  
  Next is the melting pot theory, although it has limited effectiveness as compared with multiracialism, it has gain worldwide popularity as migration becomes more common. One of the simplest ways to allow for racial harmony is to promote understanding by education about the differences between the races. However, a main flaw is that it fails to take into account the similarities between the races, and thus is the major peeve of this system.
  
  The last one is the idea of interculturalism. It literally addresses the direct flaw of the melting pot theory as the philosophical idea of interculturalism is actually to make out commonalities, and thus derive a feeling of "togetherness". However, it is generally used only by states and not larger entities as the effect of this is largely limited to single communities, limiting its usefulness by a large margin.
  Generally speaking, all the 3 different types of multiracialism/culturalism have their special positives and negatives.
  In the end, which is better, which is worse, all the facts are all presented to you, you decide.
  
  Variety of Races
  
  Chinese
  The largest ethnic group of Chinese around the world is the Han Chinese. They are the dominant ethnic group in China and the overseas Chinese population, making up 94 percent of the population of China, 75 percent of the population of Singapore, and 19 percent of the entire global human population.
  
  The language of the Han Chinese, which is Mandarin, is the most widely spoken in the world. Han Chinese has been the official language of China since the Qin Dynasty. It is the latest and refined version of all the written Chinese languages, having a unified standard for easy communication and is characterized by clear strokes instead of featuring organic shapes that were an instant form of recognition for older Chinese words.
  
  The Han Chinese mainly have rice as their staple food. In the north, where the Mandarin speaking Han are predominant, more meat is consumed, as the large expanses of land allow for more pastoral land to farm pigs, chickens and cows for food. However, in the south, fish is a much more popular alternative for those seeking meat, as pastoral land is scarcer.
  Family dining has long been a part of Han Chinese culture, with dining habits and table manners being extremely important to the Hans. Families are of utmost importance in Han culture too, with the entire extended family that included distant cousins being having reunions once every year during Chinese New Year celebrations. However, these traditions are quickly fading due the pressures of modern life.
  
  The Chinese have a rich history of classical literature to pride themselves on that dates back to thousands of years. Some of the infamous early works would include Tao Te Ching, I Ching, Analects of Confucius and Sunzi’s Art of War. The four most important Novels in the Chinese literature History are: Water Margin,Dream of the Red Chamber, Journey to the West, and Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
  South East Asia contains about three quarters of the world’s overseas Chinese population. Singapore is unique in the sense that it is the only country that has a majority (overseas) Chinese population, with the Chinese forming over 75% of the population. Large Chinese populations also live in Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines and even Thailand and Indonesia.
  
  African Americans
  African Americans or “Blacks”, as they are generally called are citizens of USA who originated from Africa. Most African Americans living in the USA today are the descendants of African slaves who lived through the era of colonial slavery in America.
  
  Discrimination (African American)
  The African Americans believed that after the slavery was abolished everything would be fine. However, discrimination still went on and the blacks were not treated the way they were supposed to be. They were considered second class. Through the Jim Crow laws, the whites still considered them to be “dirty, low class people”. The Civil Rights Movement, pioneered by activists such as Martin Luther King Jr. was targeted at abolishing public and private acts of racial segregation against all African Americans.
  
  Caucasians(white people)
  United States
  The few cultural boundaries separating Caucasians from the numerous different racial or ethnic categories are ever changing without any predefined boundaries. Among those considered Caucasians at some time or another in American history have been the Germans, Spaniards, Ashkenazi Jews, Irish, Slavs, Greeks, Italians and other people living around the Mediterranean.
  The formation of the “white” race came about in the United States during the late colonial as a method to try and draw a distinct line between the slaves, and their masters, being the whites. By the middle 18th century, the term “white” was already well established in America as a racial term, referring only to people of pure white descent. In the past, the process of being officially “white” was the centre of numerous court disputes, especially those dealing with citizenship.
  Indians
  Indians usually refers to the inhabitants of India. Indian culture is rich and diverse and as a result unique in its very own way.
  Although field hockey is India National sport, the most popular sport is still cricket
  Recently, cricket has even been used as a ground for diplomatic negotiations between national rival Pakistan and India itself, showing of the national pride and importance native Indians place on cricket.
  Games, both indoor and outdoor, such as Chess, Playing cards, Polo, Snakes and Ladders, Carrom, and Badminton are popular. In fact, the game of chess originated from India.
  The major religions of India are Hinduism (majority religion), Islam (largest minority religion).
  Hinduism can be credited as the oldest religion in the world. Not only that, Hinduism currently is world's third largest religion losing out only to Christianity and Islam. Hindus consists about 84 per cent of the entire population of India. One of the prominent religions of India, Islam forms about 12 per cent of India's population.
  Tiger is the national animal of India. The tiger actually symbolizes the rich wildlife and wealth of India and was the pride of India for hundreds of years.
  Food is contributes a significant part of Indian culture. In many Indian families, the common meals would include rice, bread, pickles. The staple food of India is Rice and Roti (Bread)
  Muslims
  The Muslim population are commonly found in the Middle east in countries such as Iraq, Iran etc. Muslim technically speaking isn’t a race, but a religion; however, we will use it as a generalization to classify all the different races in the middle east and countries in South East Asia such as Malaysia and Indonesia.
  Marriage is extremely important in the Muslim culture. The final prophet of Islam, Muhammad Ali, sad that "marriage is half of religion"; there are numerous habits lauding the importance of marriage and family.
  
  The depiction of Allah, the Islam God, in the Muslim culture is never drawn as a human being; this is because Muslims believe the drawing of human beings would lead to idolatry. Hence, Allah is depicted with shapes or geometric signs.
  
  Abaya are robes like dresses that Muslim women wear on top of their regular clothing. The purpose of doing his is to cover any bodily attribute so that no one would be able to see them. In Islam, no men should see a woman’s body except those who are legally allowed to, such as the man’s wife. Abaya dresses come in many types of fabrics. Rayon and polyester are the two most common fabrics used in the making of an Abaya.
  ALOR STAR: Malaysia is successful because of its policy of racial integration and freedom for its people to practise their own cultures, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak said Friday (10 Oct).
  The deputy prime minister said that this policy ensured that every race could practise it own culture, religion and way of thinking, had freedom in education and was not pressured to practise one culture.
  The country's founders were far-sighted because they understood the ethnic uniqueness in Malaysia and that any problems could be overcome through understanding.
  That was why the government had never thought of implementing racial assimilation, he said.
  "Malaysia is the only country in Southeast Asia to have Chinese schools teaching in Mandarin. There is no country in the world like Malaysia," he added.
  He said the government believed that the best way for the people to live in peace was by understanding the way of life and cultures of each race and giving them freedom to practise them.
  "Culture can be likened to an iceberg where only the top can clearly be seen, meaning the way of life, behaviour and traditions of each race, but hidden beneath the surface, which is hard to see, are the cultrual aspects like philosophy, experience and thinking that drive the culture," he said.
  Najib said the cultural diversity of the multiracial people in Malaysia had become a tourist attraction.
  He wanted the people to jointly preserve the existing peace and security by not causing any ethnic misunderstanding or raising provocative and sensitive issues.
  He also said that the government gave attention to the management of the various ethnic groups by giving them special allocations to help them, as was evident in Budget 2009, to ensure harmony.
  The three-day national-level festival was also attended by Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat and Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan. (AP)
• 

  by hazeni harun 2 years ago

  Tuesday, March 27, 2007
  Malaysia RACIAL MELTING POT Cracking After 50 Years; Deep Rooted Racism, Discrimination & Bigotry Under Unity & Peace Facade; People Living Separately
  Thursday March 29, 2007
  Survey: Many youngsters aren't concerned about racial integration
  By SIMRIT KAUR; STAR
  PETALING JAYA: Racial integration among the younger generation in Malaysia still has some way to go, judging by the results of a nationwide survey of 4,400 Form Four students. Only 52% of the teenagers said they had a friend of a different race. In fact, mixing with other races was not something that concerned many of the respondents. Only 12.8% felt that it was an issue, while 63.9% were more worried about contracting a disease. The Cognitive and PsychoSocial Profile of Malaysian Adolescents (CoPs) study was carried out in August by a group of academics from the Education Faculty of Universiti Malaya (UM).
  Prof John Arul Phillips, a former UM academic and current dean of the Arts and Social Sciences Faculty at Open University Malaysia, said this was the most complete study of its kind because of the large sampling. “We went to 44 schools in rural areas, towns and cities across Malaysia, including Sabah and Sarawak,” he said. A total of 16.6% of the 16-year-olds surveyed also admitted to smoking. They cited emotional pressure (27.6%), a desire to be accepted by friends (25.5%) and wanting to be cool and macho (20.1%) as the most common reasons for taking up the habit. Another 12.6% said they were influenced by the mass media.
  Other findings include:
  # 8.8% reported using drugs;
  # 10.7% never eat breakfast;
  # 8% have never used a computer; and
  # 3% said they were often not interested in studies.
  
  The study also compared different groups of students. There was no major difference in resilience and self-esteem levels between males and females, but non-smokers were found to be more resilient and had higher self-esteem. In addition, males reported better relationships with their teachers compared with females. CoPs project leader Assoc Prof Dr Fatimah Hashim from UM’s Education Faculty said: “There was very low correlation between academic performance in PMR and psycho-social attributes such as self-esteem, resiliency and family bonding.” In the area of general knowledge, only 23.3% of respondents identified Lee Hsien Loong as the Prime Minister of Singapore and 43.3% knew that Bill Gates founded Microsoft. However, 81% knew that Manchester United was an English football club. Students were poor in civic knowledge, too. For example, only 58.4% knew that Parliament consisted of the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara.
  = = == = == = =
  Malaysia is just about to be 5o years old and it is too much to expect the major racial components be close to each other in such a short time. From the Christian era we have heard the term “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). It was an ironic statement, for in that society no man loved his neighbor, but distrusted him heartily.
  In terms of time evolution, mankind had come to the point where it delighted so in distinctions and differences amongst the different races, those even in small geographical areas - multitudinous groups, cults and nationalities were assembled, each proudly asserting its own individuality and worth over others. In the beginning in those terms, man’s emerging consciousness needed the freedom to disperse itself, to become different, to originate bases for various characteristics and assert individuations and hence the evolution of various races within the human species.
  You must realize that your present race is the one into which you were born, in your terms in this place and time. But most of you cannot recall and remember each of you have been members of different races and so each of you have shared in both the advantages and ignominies attached, in historic terms, to such conditions of birth. But alas short is your memory and long is your pain and you have forgotten your many accents and have to be relearned them. Those who remembered are few and can find no identity as a race but as a human species. You are a cooperative species and a loving one.
  Your misunderstandings and your distrusts in each other real as they are seldom committed out of any intent to be evil, but because of severe misinterpretations about the nature of good, and the means that can be taken towards its actualization. Many of these will be directly or indirectly connected with old myths and beliefs of your forefathers
  = == = = == = = =
• 

  by one'z shim 2 years ago

  Tuesday, December 16, 2008
  National schools and racial integration
  
  National schools must be appealing to all
  
  Of late there has been a great deal of focus on vernacular education. There are those who say that they should be closed as they believe that these schools are a hindrance to racial unity. On the other hand the proponents of these schools are vehemently vociferous in defending them as they claim that denying them of such schools would breach the provisions of the Federal Constitution.
  
  The role schools is to provide wholesome education to our children from a moldable age, which includes just not striving for academic excellence but instilling good moral and social values. In a multiracial and multi religious country goodwill, tolerance and a spirit of sharing among the various races is of paramount importance and education is one of the most important tools for instilling these values which will forge unity among the races.
  
  Having children of all races to freely mingle under one roof will definitely go a long way to promote unity among them but the environment under which they are must also be favorable to nurture this unity which is so badly needed. Unfortunately such a favorable environment does not seem to prevail in our national schools, like it used to, during the time of English-medium schools of the fifties and sixties when people of all ethnicity preferred these schools.
  
  Education is the most important commodity for the progress of an individual and the nation. The people in general want quality education at an affordable cost, an education that can take them through the challenges in life. Are our national schools living up to these expectations of the people?
  
  The increasing demand for private and international schools today may be an indication that our national school system may be failing in its obligation not only in uniting the people but providing quality of education as well. People from all walks of life are willing to pay a hefty sum for quality education for their children elsewhere being convinced that our national schools are not capable of providing such education.
  
  Closing down vernacular schools would an unwise move as it may not only be unconstitutional but such actions would only create a lot of ill feeling, anger and unhappiness among those who patronise these schools. This is the last thing we need at a time of increasing inter-ethnic tensions in the country.
  
  What needs to be done is to make our national schools more appealing to all communities.It is not the medium of instruction that is deterent but a lack of dedication among those entrusted with educating our children. In the past our English-medium schools enjoyed the patronage of all races because of their high standards that was responsible for producing many highly talented and capable leaders in many fields. However due to politicization of our education system, over the years our national schools instead of reflecting the aspirations of all Malaysians have unfortunately become more Malay and Islamic for the comfort of the non-Malay, non-Muslim Malaysians. At the same time, most Malaysians would agree that the standard of education, discipline, morals and sports in our national schools schools too have declined over the years.
  
  Politicization of our education must stop and drastic measures taken to improve the standard of our national schools to make them the premier schools in the country. This can be done with the recruitment of more dedicated and racially balanced number headmasters, teachers and other staff. Nobody with a sound mind would want to shun national schools if they provide an exceptionally high quality of education.
  
  There is no doubt that there can be no genuine inter-ethnic unity unless the children of all races study,play,eat and even pray together under the same roof. This can only be achieved if they all go to the national schools which must strive to be truly national to attract the children from all races.