tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post5080469415320238159..comments2024-03-19T15:12:54.893+08:00Comments on EDUCATION IN MALAYSIA: Got into Harvard, Rejected by JPAUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-23248192304631401222011-08-15T07:09:14.519+08:002011-08-15T07:09:14.519+08:00Most of the above comments seem to suggest that on...Most of the above comments seem to suggest that only the JPA intervieweers are rasict and select (many) bumiputra candidates for scholarships. However, the same may be said about the (Malaysian) Harvard Alumni interviewees who might also be racist. Many of us only think that only the malays are capable of being rasist whilst their chinese counterparts have a pure and noble heart and act without bias and prejudice. If that statement was true, I wonder why we still see in local newspapers employers seeking those who are conversant in mandarin, why chinese sellers (whatever scale their business is) give good rates or favourable credit terms to the chinese counterparts but not the malays. Why we are making fuss about JPA/Bank Negara/Khazanah etc not selecting chinese candidates for scholarship bursaries, whilst the malays never question the distribution of scholarships by Robert Kuok Foundation, Ananda Krishnan foundation, YTL foundation etc.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-90432629216403829922010-08-22T13:56:02.402+08:002010-08-22T13:56:02.402+08:00Things happen for a reason. At least, we should be...Things happen for a reason. At least, we should be glad that he secured a scholarship to pursue his studies oversea. The thing is, why some put hatred on JPA selections? I saw some of my Chinese friends who got the scholarships too. <br /><br />Sometimes, people are blinded by how many As they got, but they forgot one important thing, in order to be excellent in this world, u need to be all rounded too such as being a sportman, doing excellent charity works, good communication skill and soft skills etc. <br /><br />Hopefully he would be happy with the Harvard scholarship. We all should be happy for him. Once again, everything happens for a reason.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-65116323013935948282009-03-06T10:38:00.000+08:002009-03-06T10:38:00.000+08:00lee jia hui was a friend of mine, yeah...he was am...lee jia hui was a friend of mine, yeah...he was among the smart kids i knew when i was schooled in High school kajang. i'm very proud of his achievement right now. all of our friends are soo happy.....gud luck jia hui.Mookieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15300588364153689076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-87820743275921670812008-08-28T12:32:00.000+08:002008-08-28T12:32:00.000+08:00This comment has been removed by the author.EChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01248593186630383985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-42551254497603941122008-06-19T02:17:00.000+08:002008-06-19T02:17:00.000+08:00Long Live Kajang!Out of sheer curiosity of where t...Long Live Kajang!<BR/><BR/>Out of sheer curiosity of where the comments were heading, I can't help to feel irritated and then finally compelled to laugh at what sonar wrote.<BR/><BR/>It's really silly. <BR/>And he kept repeating the silly same things.<BR/><BR/>Jiahui, thumbs up! u have always been brilliant in everything. Academics, debating, public speaking, and also ur researches! when we were 17, u were the cream of the crop. we were miles away from ur brilliance!<BR/><BR/>Until you actually know JiaHui in person, only then you will actually and literally be in awe.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-47396789002179581022008-05-26T05:31:00.000+08:002008-05-26T05:31:00.000+08:00Then again people. you cannot continually criticiz...Then again people. you cannot continually criticize the government. My father works for the government. We have much to be grateful for, at least I think so. The govt. has paid for the education of so many students and even though jiahui was unfortunately not one of the students, think about the hundreds more who have the chance to study abroad thanks to government scholarships. We often hear stories of kids from the very very rural areas achieveing alot by studying hard and eventually studying abroad. Many third world countries don't even have this privilage. Nevertheless, I am so happy that Mr. JH was able to recieve a FULL SCHOLARSHIP from Yale. Everything worked out for him in the end.<BR/>Oh and I have to agree to one of the anonymous writers above me. I too have heard of scholarship recipients being students that really were not spectacular. They may be extremely intelligent academically, but they are unable to even formulate their ideas in english properly. I wish our country, especially Malaysian society, would begin to stress that academics is not the only key to success. I would love to see more Malaysians be like JH, outspoken, confident, and hardworking. We truly need to stress this idea in schools because after schooling in western schools, I've learned that there is more than just studying. That is why in the West even a B student can be able to run a business or become a spokesman.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-8902147186208524012008-05-26T05:20:00.000+08:002008-05-26T05:20:00.000+08:00Congrats to Mr. JH! All the best in the States. On...Congrats to Mr. JH! All the best in the States. <BR/>One thing I must say about scholarship interviews is that luck does play a big role in them. The interviewers are human and being human means that they will of course hold their own views and will be automatically bias. I had a friend who was involved in many school activities, displayed leadership qualities and maintained good grades. They went for a series of interviews but did not get the scholarship they were looking for. My friend later told me that the problem with perceptions in Malaysia, especially with institutions handing out scholarships, is that they tend to look for students with the 20 1A's but never the students that can speak out and that get involved in things rather than school. My friend told me that several of the kids at the interviews were very, for lack of a better word, "nerdy". The kids my friend met were kids who scored very good grades but clearly did not get involved in many things out of school. I wish many interviewers come to realize that grades are not the only thing that make a person. Look at Jia Hui, he truly is a role model. He is an activist, bright student, and a very humble person. I am honestly sick of meeting certain people who get scholarships who can be full of themselves. I wish all the best for JH. insyallah he will become a nation or even world figure in the future.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-79332196615606875272008-05-19T03:05:00.000+08:002008-05-19T03:05:00.000+08:00I got rejected for the A-level ASEAN scholarship i...I got rejected for the A-level ASEAN scholarship in Singapore and got a full tuition scholarship to a private college in the US. <BR/><BR/>It's not just the JPA lah. Any scholarship award that you apply for in this part of the world, they don't want you if you sound a bit too crazy. Whereas in the USA, it seems like the crazier the better (which has its advantages and disadvantages - one disadvantage is that liberal arts colleges fill up with self-absorbed kids who think that they should get jobs and money just for being "creative").<BR/><BR/>And it's not just Hishamuddin. Anwar and Najib did plenty of damage to the system during their respective tenures too...xenobiologistahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09781983279242647376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-9538678757195252622008-05-01T21:06:00.000+08:002008-05-01T21:06:00.000+08:00the whole world must b laughing at malaysia right ...the whole world must b laughing at malaysia right now 4 losing its top brains 2 other countries. <BR/><BR/>thank you Hishammuddin 4 dragging down our country's education standard with your bumiputra quota system policies. <BR/><BR/>4 more unfair justice & controversies plz vote 4 babi nasional, malaysia boleh!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-54378546360653722752008-04-30T17:09:00.000+08:002008-04-30T17:09:00.000+08:00typo error ... mereka rela melihat univesiti tempa...typo error ... <BR/><BR/>mereka rela melihat univesiti tempatan dapat ranking below 10! <BR/><BR/>correction: <BR/><BR/>mereka rela melihat universiti tempatan dapat ranking corot!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-15561788894010768692008-04-30T17:06:00.000+08:002008-04-30T17:06:00.000+08:00disebabkan dia ini cina... dia tak boleh masuk uni...disebabkan dia ini cina... dia tak boleh masuk uni... then bila masuk Harvard.. baru ternganga!! kerajaan yg sangat racist and sangat merugikan negara sendiri... kerana mempertahankan ketuanan UMNO (bertopengkan ketuanan melayu)... mereka rela melihat univesiti tempatan dapat ranking below 10! <BR/><BR/>to Jia Hui!!! congratulation to you! kami bangga for you.. sekarang JPA and bank negara ternganga terlepas permata negara!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-33845973708266208412008-04-30T12:11:00.000+08:002008-04-30T12:11:00.000+08:00"If education is about creating and satisfying the..."If education is about creating and satisfying the job market, JPA and BNM are right in not supporting my educational interests. I'll make a horrible Accountant. I can go on about the importance of "unimportant majors/concentrations" but not here. Malaysia, though, lack proper public policy researchers and think thanks: you don't need to look far for the consequences."<BR/><BR/>Well said. We are producing nothing but engineers and technicians and whatnot just because they are "marketable" in our developing country. <BR/><BR/>At the end of the day, we will lose out if we have a country full of nothing but engineers. Note that I am not saying that engineers are not important; they are, and I am one too. However, I feel that social scientists, artists, historians and others are just as important. <BR/><BR/>I studied liberal arts when I was in college (yes, I studied engineering and liberal arts concurrently and completed both, which I think would've been inconceivable if I had studied here. But, that's besides the point.) <BR/><BR/>The point is, we want people who can think for themselves and not people programmed to think in a certain way. I wouldn't be able to say anything convincingly if I didn't believe in what I was saying. <BR/><BR/>Restricting people from discussing certain subjects just because they are considered "taboo" subjects and therefore, not our "culture" to discuss them in the open, is just shallow. <BR/><BR/>When we restrict a person from saying something just because it deviates from the norm, we are restricting creativity. And without creativity, we can never progress as a nation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-17949049885136054452008-04-29T13:58:00.000+08:002008-04-29T13:58:00.000+08:00This is not sth new. Many of my friends and relat...This is not sth new. Many of my friends and relatives query the Chinese future in M'sia. I really do not know, perhaps people like Tony can voice strongly for us in the Parliament. Otherwise as it is many who can afford will send their children oversea for good or look for better prospect there.<BR/>- Andy.<BR/>http://andyksyong.wordpress.com/andyksyonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15810178368802336323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-17186673002755362742008-04-29T03:08:00.000+08:002008-04-29T03:08:00.000+08:00What I'm about to say may come across as a case of...What I'm about to say may come across as a case of sour grapes but screw it. I'm studying in the UK and guess what? I'm studying with some of those who are supposedly so "smart" that the government is spending millions of Ringgit on. Unfortunately, none of them are impressive. The worst thing is, most of them can't even speak decent English. I'm not saying that you have to speak brilliant English to get a scholarship but sometimes I do feel that there could have been better people who are in their shoes. I think if this guy can get funding from HARVARD but not JPA, you got to know that I'm not exaggerating about the quality of the scholarship students I meet every day. Irony is, we question why the best brains are not coming home to Malaysia. Honestly, why should they?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-67651798944933310572008-04-28T13:39:00.000+08:002008-04-28T13:39:00.000+08:00He had not mentioned anything controversial during...He had not mentioned anything controversial during JPA interview, as someone above incorrectly assumes.<BR/><BR/>JPA selection process is just fraught with faults. They tweak it often enough; yet unnecessarily, like adding essay component on top of verbal interview, then -- after finding it cumbersome to tote around the huge stack of paper they are not going to read -- they scrapped it off. I mean, I could list down all the topics they are going to throw at interviewees year in, year out. All you need to do is just to prepare each of them, and then -- well -- it is still useless.<BR/><BR/>In the end, you need to have the right mix of things to get it, and those things (most of the time)are irrevelant.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-4416417137940451912008-04-27T22:22:00.000+08:002008-04-27T22:22:00.000+08:00malu sial JPA!!!malu sial JPA!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-79454939668655194422008-04-27T22:17:00.000+08:002008-04-27T22:17:00.000+08:00Dear Jia Hui,I respect u not because u scored 11 A...Dear Jia Hui,<BR/><BR/>I respect u not because u scored 11 A's in SPM, but because u stand firm on what u believe.<BR/><BR/>Take the JPA scholarship interview 4 example, I'm sure u know the JPA interviewers are very 'pantang' about controversial issues, yet u still choose 2 express your views instead of saying something nice just 2 please them.<BR/><BR/>Probably this is the reason y u're admitted into Harvard, not just based on academic results but your qualities as an individual as well.<BR/><BR/>I wish u luck in your future endeavors. U Boleh, I also Boleh, Pokoknya Malaysia Boleh!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-21830489604353906102008-04-27T17:39:00.000+08:002008-04-27T17:39:00.000+08:00I think JPA should be very careful who they give s...I think JPA should be very careful who they give scholarships to. Just look at our local universities. How many tutors and lecturers have been given scholarships to pursue their PhD overseas and fail to get them eventually? These people go with their families and given all sorts of allowances. It costs at least half a million ringgit to send one of them. I think JPA should ask them to pay back the money if they fail to get their PhD. Some went there to do business and work instead of really going there to study. They make money there and come back with containers of goods and Mercedes. Since there is no clause to say that they must pay back if they fail to get their PhD, there is no incentive to study. Lots of tax payers money wasted. Might as well give these scholarhips to deserving people.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-35077962365342871022008-04-27T01:38:00.000+08:002008-04-27T01:38:00.000+08:00"Guess JPA can help by being more transparent with..."Guess JPA can help by being more transparent with the whole process...This will avoid people feeling cheated because of their skin colour (where in fact, it's their choice of study) and the media which happily harps on the issue"<BR/><BR/>Well, JPA does lay out quite clearly what courses it is willing to sponsor, if you have ever filled up its form, which I did -- a few years back -- not that they change it very often.<BR/><BR/>I think it is their selection process which is heavily flawed. We have heard enough of its discrepancies and inconsistencies, haven't we? Now, I wonder if the same could be said to those Ivy Leagues or even any top universities around the world; or perhaps, for consistency's sake, other scholarship providers like Jardine.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-55184236058723694932008-04-26T16:48:00.000+08:002008-04-26T16:48:00.000+08:00I think the government has been giving away schola...I think the government has been giving away scholarships for far too long.. an enormous amount of the taxpayers' money has been wasted. And foreign universities are laughing their way to the bank.<BR/><BR/>Government scholarships should be seen as a short term 'patch up' work and not long term solution. <BR/><BR/>We send students to study in areas where we have critical shortages and where local unis do not have sufficient capability to train. <BR/><BR/>Once we have sufficient skill to train these people locally, then we should reduce the number of scholarships overseas. It's just too expensive to do what we are doing now. <BR/><BR/>BTW Jia Hui, Im interested in your view..pls elaborate "Malaysia, though, lack proper public policy researchers and think thanks: you don't need to look far for the consequences".Chinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16861298702270516742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-76884516966425791142008-04-26T14:43:00.000+08:002008-04-26T14:43:00.000+08:00HALLELUJAH.Forget Richard Lim, Jia Hui, do you thi...HALLELUJAH.<BR/><BR/>Forget Richard Lim, Jia Hui, do you think you can drop me an e-mail? lim@mayzhee.com <BR/><BR/>I'm interested in interviewing you as well and you have no idea to what extent I've tried to locate you! I was planning to march right up to ISKL on Monday but now that I've gotten to you, do drop me an e-mail!May Zheehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07282923491396243945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-79070411147901573622008-04-26T02:28:00.000+08:002008-04-26T02:28:00.000+08:00Ah Jia Hui! The much revered teen sensation is her...Ah Jia Hui! The much revered teen sensation is here!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-39539478635782804072008-04-25T22:55:00.000+08:002008-04-25T22:55:00.000+08:00Hey everyone - I'm just going to put in my two sen...Hey everyone - I'm just going to put in my two sen's worth of thoughts:<BR/><BR/>1. Harvard's interview was 45 minutes, and we talked about Malaysian politics, education, race relations; they asked where I stand on some issues, what I'm interested in, and where I see myself heading. JPA's interview (I wasn't even selected for BNM's) was about "Tabiat Membaca di Kalangan Remaja" for 20 minutes. 7 people had to talk about the topic after a 2 minute self-introduction. There was no opportunity to talk beyond those limits, even if I was dying to express my views on sexuality.<BR/><BR/>2. If education is about creating and satisfying the job market, JPA and BNM are right in not supporting my educational interests. I'll make a horrible Accountant. I can go on about the importance of "unimportant majors/concentrations" but not here. Malaysia, though, lack proper public policy researchers and think thanks: you don't need to look far for the consequences.<BR/><BR/>3. It's not an issue of race. It's an issue of equal opportunity ("Education for All" as outlined by UNESCO). If people are denied the equal access to educational opportunity based on their status in the constitution, there's something thorougly wrong. I have friends scoring 7 1As in the SPM who went on to pursue a dental degree under JPA sponsorship. Another friend with 12 As is now working so that he can pay for his diploma studies. Does a 20 minute interview on BM Karangan topics make that difference?<BR/><BR/>4. ISKL was a culture shock in the first three months, US or no US system/mentality when I first enrolled as a scholar. But that's not the point: Being mature, open-minded, and critical about discourse on any issue (in and out of interviews)shouldn't be hampered by claims that it is "not our budaya". What shouldn't be our "budaya" is the refusal for open discussion just because it goes against your personal prejudice, providing unequal access to education (and this isn't just in terms of race), and having our education marred by a commitment to "saying the right things to the right person".<BR/><BR/>:) I'm open to debate. Oh and Bush came from Yale - it's no basis for discrediting the school, but I didn't apply there because of my dislike for the man.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-64324722529954412902008-04-25T22:54:00.000+08:002008-04-25T22:54:00.000+08:00Richard Lim, hi! I e-mailed The Star Education hop...<B>Richard Lim</B>, hi! I e-mailed The Star Education hoping to drop you a message but I haven't received a reply! Would you be so kind as to e-mail me if you see this? lim@mayzhee.com thanks!May Zheehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07282923491396243945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12123329.post-71154388125669230552008-04-24T09:36:00.000+08:002008-04-24T09:36:00.000+08:00It seems that there's more than a few comments tha...It seems that there's more than a few comments that is willing to pin race down as the biggest factor when it comes to deciding for scholarships. Perhaps that is true for many, but I equally know of many for whom it doesn't apply to. <BR/><BR/>For example, I didn't manage to get a SLAB scholarship to pursue my master's (despite being told that "the letter's in the post"), but I managed to find other sources to fund my studies. And now that I am in Korea, most of the Malaysian students I've met here (and there's quite a few) did not have much help from our government. <BR/><BR/>My point here is that, beside the fact that there are other scholarships and chances available, I don't think race is always the biggest factor. As Sonar commented above, eventual occupational demand also sounds logical as a deciding factor.Fikrihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17385624097465928342noreply@blogger.com