Leading the way to a better Malaysia

ABOUT five years ago, I started talking about the idea of building a parallel Malaysia. Because after 20 years of watching, responding to, writing and reflecting academically on many issues of social mistrust and religious conflict, I got to thinking that Malaysia seems like a terribly ill patient.

Buckminster Fuller said: “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”

And so, instead of wasting time and effort engaging the establishment to cure this poor, sick patient, I decided to spend my time and effort on building something new.

I then mooted the idea of a parallel Malaysia that I now know is the dream of many of us, and that is, I believe, realistically achievable even within the lifespan of those reading this column.

When Abang Jo – or, to give him his formal name, Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg – first proposed the idea of Sarawak building and funding six international schools that would offer an alternative to the national curriculum, I thought it was a brilliant idea to go with my parallel Malaysia – as anyone who has read my columns over the years would know, I have long had problems with the current curriculum.

The Sarawak Premier prefaced his announcement by saying that his state values its diversity, that the acceptance of different faiths and cultures is a way of life there, and that in addition to their attention on English, it acknowledges the symbolic significance of Bahasa Malaysia. However, there is a need to answer the call of many parents who wanted an alternative to the public school curriculum.

Parents in Semenanjung seem to feel the same way, judging by how more and more of them are avoiding public schools and sending their children to vernacular schools instead, while those who can afford it are sending kids to privately owned international schools.

Abang Jo said he feels that ordinary people should be given an opportunity to have this kind of alternative education without the financial burden. I look upon this decision as a courageous and sensitive act that exemplifies excellent leadership.

However, I must raise a concern about the matter: What kind of curriculum would Sarawak international schools have to ensure a future that reflects its present where diversity is accepted and not despised?

I would like to volunteer my thoughts on how some new subjects could ensure that acceptance of diversity in faiths and beliefs is enshrined in the lives of pupils who attend.

Firstly, I offer the subject Diversity and Global Coexistence 1: History, Beliefs and Practice; and the other subject is Diversity and Global Coexistence 2: Rethinking Religious Conflicts and Nation-Building. The first subject would be at the Form Four level while the other would be for Form Five students.

Global Coexistence 1 seeks to expose students to the history of the world’s major religions and faiths as well as their belief systems and principles. The practices of the faiths would not only be discussed in class but trips to different houses of worship must be implemented. The school can partner with the houses of worship to actually spend half of the day, or even a full school day, at these places, with community and religious leaders in attendance.

Diversity and Global Coexistence 2 is for the older students about to graduate from secondary school and begin a life of not only citizens of Malaysia but also as citizens of the world. This subject explains how religious conflicts are a matter of general misunderstanding or political opportunism rather than an actual conflict of faiths.

The second part of this subject deals with the many common values of all the faiths that are also part of the nation-building characteristics of Malaysia and the universal values of a global citizenry. In this manner, issues such as human rights, equal opportunity, as well as sustainability of the environment can be learnt as spiritual lessons as well as political views.

These two subjects are incredibly important. They are more important than Mathematics, the Sciences or any other subject. These two subjects will teach students to treat all human beings with the dignity they deserve – failing to offer such subjects is the mistake we made. It was a bad idea to allow our industry-driven education to teach our children. Let us please rectify this error in our history and build a better future generation.

The two subjects call for a team of writers to produce the necessary textbooks and the first teaching module. Sarawak has time. The students will not see these books until they are in their 10th year of education. But the discussions and debates about the content and curriculum structure must begin now so that in less than three years, the books and teaching modules can be produced.

Who knows, maybe other international schools might want to give these subjects a try. Sarawak could be the new beacon of a parallel Malaysia – a Malaysia that progresses, grows and is confident of the future. This was the vision of our forefathers and the founding members of our nation that got lost when self-serving politicians took over.

Onward, Sarawakians – new agents of education, please lead the way.

Prof Dr Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi is Professor of Architecture at the Tan Sri Omar Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Studies at UCSI University. The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own.