PAS' issue with meritocracy
Most people mistook PAS and think it is against meritocracy.
Isn't it outlandish that a person who once rejected Suqiu's appeal to base university intake on meritocracy now decides to implement the very same appeal?
Dr Mahathir Mohamad says this is to push the Malay students towards academic excellence, as if Malay students are incapable of achieving that. The PM then blames political activism for the failures of Malay students.
Therefore, it is as clear as the bright blue sky that the reason for such a move is to curb political activism among the Malay students and not to make them work towards academic excellence.
In other words, the move is done with the intention of coercing Malay students into supporting the government by killing their political consciousness.
Where is the proof linking political activism to academic mediocrity?
In a debate at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 1999, the representative from Gamis (Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam Semenanjung), Zaharuddin Abdul Rahman dismissed the notion linking failure in academics with active political involvement. He cited his coursemate as an example, stating that his friend achieved academic excellence while active in student politics.
Therefore, such a claim cannot be substantiated as there are other factors behind the lagging of Malay students and the PM has again failed to provide any proof of his claim.
In other words, the PM's move is far from being in favour of meritocracy (why couldn't he practise meritocracy when dealing with privatisation projects) but as an oppressive tool to subdue student political activism.
We must never forget that the students have always been instrumental in bringing about change in many countries' political landscape. And that these were the very students who were instrumental in changing the leadership of South Korea, Indonesia, Iran, the Philippines, Thailand and many other countries.
It is this that scares the PM since his popularity is at an all-time low and sinking.
My advice to those favouring such move is to not fall into PM's trap.
