NST Speaks Some Sense Too

Hey, after the recent hoo-ha raised over the comments made by our Johor Menteri Besar, our very own New Straits Times covered the same thorny topic in Syed Nadzri's column HARDCOPY here. I must say, the first couple of paragraphs sounds exactly like what I posted here on "Johor Menteri Besar Gone Bonkers" :)

Some of the more pertinent comments made:

MERITOCRATIC discrimination? That’s probably one of the worst oxymorons we’ll ever hear. But it came over the weekend from Johor Umno — yes, the same group that urged the Umno headquarters a fortnight ago not to publicise the names of those found guilty of money politics.

... it is wrong to say that meritocracy — a system based on ability and not on racial quota — is discrimination, let alone oppression. If Bumiputera students are not doing well in rural schools because of lack of access to proper facilities and quality education, then there must be something wrong with the education development and implementation system.

Let’s not take two steps back for the sake of political expediency.

In [Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob] speech at the Pahang Umno convention on Sunday, he quipped: "I would prefer to go to a doctor who entered a public university based on merit rather than someone who gained entry because of his Bumiputera status."
The biggest favour for Bumiputeras is to build up their competitiveness and confidence so they can soar higher — not to get the bar lowered.

It's comforting to see media columnist coming out strongly against some of our political leaders' misguided opinions to ensure that common sense prevails. Although, I must add that Syed Nadzri's opinion that trash literature and Akademi Fantasia are more important things to be addressed sounds a bit awkward too:

... the preoccupation of some Malays on trash literature and Akademi Fantasia, are some of the more urgent things that need to be addressed rather than going the other way with that fixation on doingaway with meritocracy.

I'm certain there are many other issues that deserves more attention than Akademi Fantasia!