'First World' Mentality series ( 16 )... Tok Pa boleh!
Higher Education Minister Mustapa Mohamad has redeemed much of the lost grace of ICT-blind ministers in the Abdullah administration.
Tok Pa set the record as the first minister who had emailed to reply to an enquiry posted on a blog, promptly overnight!
Sunday (April 23), Parliamentary Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang challenged Tok Pa in his blog, asking the latter "to set an example of the Ninth Malaysia Plan spirit of “First-Class Mentality” and commitment to open and transparent government pledged by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi... by immediately making public the Zahid Higher Education Report".
As it is, Tok Pa was inheriting a cold turkey left behind by his predecessor, Dr Shafie Salleh. The Zahid Higher Education Report to reform higher education was presented to the Higher Education Ministry in July last year, but it got stuck with Shafie until his removal from the present Cabinet line-up.
The context, in Kit's words:
I had asked Shafie when Parliament reconvened last month why he had continued to keep the Zahid Higher Education Report under “lock-and-key” as a classified document under the Official Secrets Act, completely at variance with the academic tradition of openness and public dialogue.
Shafie confided that he had decided to make the announcement in Parliament at the end of March that the Zahid Higher Education Report was available to the public during the ministerial winding-up of the Royal Address debate, but he had not been able to do so as he had been dropped from the Cabinet in the February Cabinet reshuffle.
There can be no reason for continuing to hold up the publication of the Zahid Higher Education Report after it had been submitted to the authorities for 10 months.
Mustapha should adopt the best international practices of developed information societies where such reports are made simultaneously available to the public the same time they are submitted to the Government – to involve all stakeholders in a national debate on how best to create a world-class university system. Otherwise, the government should stop talking about wanting an information society and a knowledge-based economy.
The following day (April 24), Tok Pa emailed Kit to tell him that the Zahid Higher Education Report will be made public in early May.
Kit, a gentleman that he is, gave Tok Pa the credit when it's due -- not once, but twice.
Tok Pa boleh!
Comments
It should be the way for a knowledge-based and information society. There is a need to open up for the people to know what has transpired for a good higher education system that the country wants. It is no use keeping this higher education report after a study has been made. Let's see what this is all about. For a country that wants to join the first world community, it has to be more transparent and keep its citizenry informed and allow full participation to complement and supplement what has been studied. Perhaps, the people can contribute one or two ideas to amke the country a better place for higher education!
Posted by: peterpan![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.my/nav-commenters.gif)
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April 25, 2006 09:11 PM
Folks
Thats good news for the new VC for University of Malaya now that her boss is indeed responsive even to an Opposition Leader.
This bodes well for our Lady in University of Malaya's tenure.
"Tok Pa" as Jeff nicely called the Minister of Higher Education confirms my views about Kelantanese... uniquely different from the rest.
Now is the new VC of UM's turn to follow her boss's example ofopenness and responsiveness in a positive way either from the public or from the Opposition.
Posted by: Frank&Honest![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.my/nav-commenters.gif)
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April 25, 2006 09:12 PM
I think we should declare tomorrow as "Email Day" or "Responsive Email Day" of Malaysia as at long last, one of our Ministers is responding promptly to a request by email.
That is the "First World" mentality worth celebrating by all. Well, for those Ministers who are still having those Third World mentality, I think they must be cursing this particular Minister like hell....*#@$%^!!*&^%$
Or some of those positive one may be trying hard to squeeze their heavily and tightly golfing schedules to attend some special classes on things like "email", "blog", "Responsiveness" and "Transparency"....
What a bloody tough life to do catch up...
Posted by: Niuku![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.my/nav-commenters.gif)
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April 25, 2006 11:13 PM
Tok Pa Kelantanese,
VC also Kelantanese !
JEFF OOI says: The Kelantan Sultan also Kelantanese. The Kelantan MB also Kelantanese. What's wrong with that?
Posted by: johnson![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.my/nav-commenters.gif)
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April 26, 2006 08:17 AM
The previous VC of UM also a Kelantanese! (I think)
Posted by: kamil![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.my/nav-commenters.gif)
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April 26, 2006 09:42 AM
From the comments, I can sense some "regionalism".
Posted by: moo_t![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.my/nav-commenters.gif)
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April 26, 2006 09:54 AM
moo_t;
my statement is more to imply regionalism has nothing to do with ability to manage UM. I remembered the previous VC was heavily critisized by commenters here.
Posted by: kamil![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.my/nav-commenters.gif)
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April 26, 2006 10:12 AM
Now, what is it that prevents the Badawi administration from issuing a circular to all government departments that when they get a rakyat email, they must under a show-cause condition reply within 48 hours, with details?
Just do it-lah, Pah Lah.
No more time.
Posted by: Neil![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.my/nav-commenters.gif)
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April 26, 2006 03:17 PM