Immediately when my SPM Moral and History papers were over, I heaved a sigh of relief.
Making it through both these papers was something ! Now, I am stuck in college, with a Malaysian Studies book from Oxford Fajar, cursing the Lembaga Akreditasi Negara (LAN) for making it a compulsion rather than a voluntary act, and having to do the same thing over and over again. Well, I don’t see the point as to why Malaysian Studies and Moral Studies have been made compulsory in private varsities and colleges, but I’d go through those sickening three hours in class - and complain.
Honestly, I feel rather bitter about this issue because everytime I peruse the books, there is a sense of déjà vu. Yes, like it or not, I have to confess that the Kajian Tempatan books of Primary 4-6, the History books of Forms 1-5, and the Malaysian Studies books talk about nothing but the same thing : Malacca, Parameswara, the advent of Islam in the Malay states, Johor, the colonisation era, pre-independence, post-independence, Malaysia’s formation, and the Federal Constitution. That’s how boring our 21st century education can be. The minions - the students themselves - are just fed up of being told about the same thing. And I was hoping Malaysian Studies would be a subject of culture clauses ; issues which all Malaysians need to know, all this - instead of being brainwashed.
Another thing which I criticise about the Malaysian Studies books is that either the facts are added to glorify some parties, or reduced to hide the full story, or even changed. Um, notice the difference in content between the History and Malaysian Studies books? We post-SPM students have a tendency to “copy and paste” everything we have learnt right up to SPM, into the Malaysian Studies paper. And with that, we get low marks ! If things have to be chanted on the grounds that our level of maturity has changed and that we are so easily influenced, then where are the raw facts ? Something is definitely amiss here. The truth just can’t be hidden forever !
As for Moral Studies, as hard as they think they try to promote humility, the texts in the book provide naught but hypocrisy and a holier-than-thou attitude ! Talking about preservation of the environment without allowing pressure groups such as Greenpeace, and normal people, to demonstrate for changed, is hypocrisy in itself. Nothing can be done !
The chapters on human rights and the Internal Security Act deny us of the very freedom of choice that God has bestowed upon us since Genesis. The talk on honesty and transparency is rather short-lived as we see political and influential figures hand coffee money under the table, right in front of our eyes. Why don’t they look at their own morality first ? There should be no proecdures or manuals, but a heartfelt expression of care and sincerity in carrying out our daily activities. Redundance is the keyword here. Oh, and this is the third article in which I stress this point : explain why sometimes, immoral people get the A for the paper but do not live it in real life ?
*and then, I went through this effing riot because the Malaysian Studies examination was to be held on, of all dates, April 12th ! I’d better wish myself a sad unbirthday.*
A-Levels students concentrate on their three core subjects more than anything else. LLB/degree students have enough headache having to do their thing. Accreditability is not the question here - there is just no point in introducing two unnecessary subjects when we Malaysians know and love our country. Redundance in facts, as portrayed by the Malaysian Studies and Moral Studies books, does not actually make us love our country more : it distances us. Even the rakyat have done a better job than the LAN in giving us those little things that make us grow fond of our country.
À bas Malaysian Studies ! À bas Moral Studies !
Now, if only the youths would stop complaining and start voicing things out collectively for other people to learn………
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