2009/12/21
I REFER to Jeremiah Tan's comments on the Malay College Kuala Kangsar ("Let other Malaysians in, too" -- NST, Dec 16).
In 1904, the Inspector of Schools of the Federated Malay States, R.J. Wilkinson, recommended setting up a school (Malay Residential Boys School, later renamed Malay College Kuala Kangsar) that would contain the essence of modern education with knowledge of Islam and Malay culture.
He quoted the words by Lord Curzon in India: "The type of education needed was one which would produce a vigorous and intelligent race of young men who will be in touch with modern progress, but not out of touch with old traditions; who will be liberally educated but not educated out of sympathy; who will be manly and not effeminate, strong-minded but not strong-willed, acknowledging a duty to others instead of being a law unto themselves and who will be fit to do something in the world instead of settling down into fops, spendthrifts or drones."
Till today, MCKK retains the essence of that vision: equipping students with modern education and instilling Islamic and Malay values in them to build their character.
These students will become leaders in their communities and nation; and while they are generally progressive in their thinking, they are still in touch with the reality that the majority of Malays live in rural areas, and their thinking and problems are different from urbanites.
Since its inception in 1905, MCKK has produced several illustrious old boys who excel in almost every field. The most notable ones in national leadership were Datuk Onn Jaafar and Tun Abdul Razak Hussein; in the corporate sector, the list will be too long to print here.
All of them were neither racists nor racialists; they were leaders for all, irrespective of race, social origin or creed, despite their early education in an all-boy, single-community environment.
The 104-year existence of the Malay College is a proven success story, with all its pride, passion and tradition. Let's not dismantle it overnight.
MCKK is only one of 10,000 schools in this country. If the recipe works, build upon it, not change its ingredients.
At MCKK, the boys attend classes, live, eat, pray, recite the Quran and learn Malay culture together.
They come from different family and community backgrounds; the majority are from rural areas; and they learn about each others' dialects, peculiarities, and problems facing rural Malay areas.
In the spirit of 1Malaysia, we can't and shouldn't try to dismantle and open up everything. Some things are sacred and personal, and not everyone thinks alike.
There are certain things that are kept the way they are because of the rationales for their existence. You don't open your house for your friends to live together, just for the sake of the 1Malaysia spirit, do you?
Sometimes, foreign students may be accepted because they perhaps fit the rationals and goals.
MCKK had accepted students of mixed parentage, provided they adapted to the Islamic religion and the Malay culture. The boys learned to appreciate other communities through interactions with their non-Malay mentors, teachers, coaches, as well as the Kuala Kangsar community and friends. Moreover, the non-Malay figures were mainly adults, hence more respect is accorded.
1Malaysia is about understanding and co-existence, not sharing everything you own. We should encourage each community to safeguard its culture but also encourage cross-cultural understanding.
In the spirit of 1Malaysia, let's stop making demands for others to share what they have already had for ages. Demands will invite counter-demands and conflicts, and the animosity will never end.
If MCKK was to be open to non-Malays, later the girls will want entrance. Then extremists will want everything non-Malay to be shared. There will be no end to it.
JAK LI
Subang Jaya
