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Jeff

Question is: Will it make any difference to uplifting the hopelessly declining academic standard that University of Malaysia had been facing over the last 20 years.

Having a new broom is one thing, but having a new broom that cannot even sweep cobwebs from the floor.

Hope this change of VC, is not a case of new paint for a rotten wall.

University of Malaya's reputation internationally has gone down the pits in heaps.

It does not only reforms, it needs an insurrection to redeem its glorious past.

First job for the new VC is to disengage the politics of Govt in the running of the University. If she can do that, its a good start.

We can only wish her luck. She needs ALL of it, especially if you have a prickly Minister of Higher Education sitting on top of her head at the moment.

This is not the first time NST got it wrong. Remember the sale of DRB-HICOM? The paper reported that a certain Tan Sri from the motor-industry with the most APs bought it..only to have the PM announce a few days later that it went to another Tan Sri. Is ofrtune-telling the forte of this paper? Even if it was, they're miles off the target!

Jeff

Pardon me, I meant University of MALAYA...

(they should have changed that name when we became Malaysia)...

Funny, these chaps hold on to tradition, yet unable to maintain the tradition of ensuring that the University's academic reputation and standards are maintained. Evidence of wrong priorites by the past University VCs, who had been spending more time bodeking their political masters and glorifying their personal image in public with their photo-opportunities showing their ruffled white hair and reading glasses hanging down their noses on TV.

Folks

Rafiah Salim's appointment as United Nations Deputy Secretary-General in charge of Human Resource Administration is to be applauded but frankly, no big deal because it is a political appointment in the United Nations. Merit is secondary.

Not like the case of Dr Edmund Terence Gomez ( http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/36642) whose appointment is not of political appointment but on internationally recognised technical competence. Simply no comparison,if anyone tries to.

Remember the fiasco created by University of Malaya on Terence Gomez, who was the lecturer in the University of Malaya?

Cast your doubt on exactly what, Jeff? Because, you know, you weren't saying much on that last post.

JEFF OOI says: Needed I say more when my readers are generally regarded as having a higher level of anticipation than the obvious mediocre? Next patient!

It should read as Prof. Emeritus Dr Khoo Kay Kim.

hi frank&honest
"First job for the new VC is to disengage the politics of Govt in the running of the University. If she can do that, its a good start."

correction, this is the mother of all the problems. it should be the end result of her tenure. its impossible for her to take this as her first tasks, she'll be out of a job in no time!

"Rafiah Salim's appointment as United Nations Deputy Secretary-General in charge of Human Resource Administration is to be applauded but frankly, no big deal because it is a political appointment in the United Nations. Merit is secondary."

how do you come up to this conclusion?? as i undertand it this is a normal job appointment and not a diplomatic one. if you look on UN's website there are posts on a DG level that i being advertised.

OH My God! Rafiah Salim? Ask anyone who used to work with her in Bank Negara to tell you what a tyrant the woman was.

After being left in cold storage for so long, suddenly the Higher Education Minister from the same state as she is picks her up for this appointment. What hope does UM have??

Urmm.. Jeff, any links to her background profile?

polis

I agree that she will be out of job in no time... but that should be her top priority. If done at the end of the tenure, the problem will never be solved... andthe next VC will see no reason to act as he/she will also lose the job. Semua mahu cari makan. Let the next sucker take the monkey on his/her shoulders.

On the UN post. You can take it from me, it is a political appointment. The UN is by itself a diplomatic organisation owned by member countries and even technical posts ABOVE a certain level is basically reserved for candidates CHOSEN by member governments for Kofi Annan to consider. She was seconded to the UN at the pleasure of the member government for the 5 year period and with extension at the pleasure of the UN Sec General. It is not a job you and I apply. Only certain lower level posts are open based on merit,that again it is put against membership representation.

Without going further, take it as I know... and being familiar with the UN system. That is how it works. It is good to be a kaki bodek of Govt. So you see, our new VC will NOT rock the boat in the University as she has to pay back her prestigious time in the UN and for the glorious mention of that assignment in her resume.

But you cannot take away from her that it is an honour to have held that post in the UN, whether it is a political appointment or not.

You can ask the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, assumignthe chaps there known their stuff besides they spending time engaging in quarrels with their counterparts in Singapore.

Badang

From what you said, most likely Rafiah Salim will only get a decent job and promotions based on political appointments. The VC post is still a political appointment.. now that you said coming from the Minister of Higher Education of the same home state.

Which state is that? Kelantan?

Folks

The post held by Rafiah Salim in the UN for Human Resource Administration is small time job relatively in the broad scope of UN positions. It is like doing high class clerk job, with frightening title, but basically looking after staff salaries, recruitment already decided by others and sending people to study tours, organise meetings on UN gravy train, with little policy influence input.

From a Deputy Governor of Bank Negara to this UN post,in terms of policy influence, its like coming down the waterfall.

Not surprise... NST always wrong... And last time they even tried to pull someone down...

"apa vendetta?.."

OFF TOPIC: Since the Msian Government cut fuel subsidies by 30 sen the price of crude oil has gone up by +15%. Guess what happened to those savings that were to be used for upgrading transportation? GONE POOF VANISHED.

With due respect Dr Rafiah the new VC of UM – the “champion for change management” was conferred by Queen’s U (Belfast) for the Doctor of the U, honoris causa for assisting “Queen’s with bringing together its network of graduates in the USA and Malaysia”

And during her 5 years tenure in UN, “she was responsible for changing the management culture of the UN”

All these from the apple polishing citation available at:

http://www.qub.ac.uk/home/Alumni/AssociationsFileStore/Filetoupload,25529,en.pdf

You've got to be kidding mwt. An honorary doctorate from Queen's University? You're saying an honorary doctorate for this Kelantanese lady Rafiah merits her for the VC post against all the hard earned PHD's in UM??

Didn't Pak Lah say in the 9MP that heads of academic institutions have to possess a PHD by 2010. You mean an honorary doctorate is good enough these days?

Folks

I have nothing against this lady personally, as I personally don't know she is. For all I know, she might make a good VC if she has the guts to rock the boat.

Being a Kelantanese, she should have, unless she spent too many years spoilt by the politics of UMNO in the Klang Valley, there must a stint of independence and innovativeness running in her veins. After all, Kelantanese stood against the money politics of Dr M for the best part of the 21 years, and did not buy into Pak Lah's sterile leadership which every other state bought.

I think it would serve her best if she just lie low with her professional experience and background because they don't mean much for the job of a VC of a premier University in the country.

Why do I say that: Look,

Since graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1971 and became a deputy dean in 1974 in the Fac of Law... that must be a record, barely three years after a basic degree. In govt service, that's about time for probation period in those days before you get even confirmed as pensionable staff. Either she must have been the most brilliant and brainy lawyer in town that the country could not find another to manage the law faculty.

Getting a honorary Doctorate for getting the Belfast chaps together is a no brainer. A thank you note would have been apprpriate with a certificate of appreciation. I won't be surprised its a lobby effort of the Queen's influential alumno who got her the Doctorate.

At first reading, I thought it was the Queen of England who recommended her for the Doctorate, that would have been something,if anything.

Compare the resume of VCs in some of the premier or close to those world standard universities, you will see a huge gap.

Her experience as Deputy Governor in Bank Negara is of little consequence to an institution of learning.

Most probably she was nominated so that the poor lady can be pushed around by the Minister of Higher Education and make political deals at the expense of the academic quality of the University.

Let's see whether she can do something to improve Tok Guru Nik Aziz's countrymen in education.

By the way, the citation mentioned by a reader said she was born in a village of Klata.. where is that??? Which district? That village folks should call a celebration for one of its daughters made it big. But Klata sounds like the Bahasa Kelantan version of Kelatae.

One can never get excellence from an educational institution when the whole selection system, whether for faculty staff or students, is not merit based as it was during its heydays in the sixties.

Those who think any new VC can arrest the rot are certainly dreaming !

Quote: Ask anyone who used to work with her in Bank Negara to tell you what a tyrant the woman was.

Aaahhh, this is wonderful news indeed...UM needs a "tyrant", get the whip cracking...

I don't know but you guys but as a UM Lecturer I am so excited...

LecturerUM,
Dont be so happy yet.What is she another Acob? :D

sorry, typo error.
What if she is another Acob? :D

Hi Frank & Honest,

Welcome back!

Ha, how you managed to get all this information. Any way, it is enlightening.

Mikewang could not have put it any better when he said :"One can never get excellence from an educational institution when the whole selection system, whether for faculty staff or students, is not merit based as it was during its heydays in the sixties." It is already a foregone conclusion that the ranking of MU will disappear totally from the radar screen in the next release for three simple reasons:

1. The language used by the teaching staff which is so limited in scope especially at such tertiary level,
2. Government controlled; and
3 A comical form of meritocracy.

It will be a Herculean task for this new VC and I am wondering whether another job would have provided her better satisfaction then kidding herself that this is a "national service". What MU also needs now is not so much a VC with a string of academic qualifications but also someone who possesses managerial skills, human relations and the right kind of leadership to stand up for what is right. If she is just another YES person, MU will face further decline, that is for sure!

So the UM does need a 'tyrant Mummy' figure to 'crack the whip' to get the job done. When will the UM staff learn to grow up & do their job without being 'whipped'? Is there some kind of sadistic trend embedded in the staff?
Eradicate the racial profiling in staff & student selection & I am sure the system will work well!

LecturerUM
You said..... UM needs a "tyrant", get the whip cracking... I am so excited...

She is now the boss of the University... who is she going to whip?

The Faculty Deans??? She needs these characters to deliver HER performance as a new VC.

I would prefer that she is a TYRANT to her political masters, starting with the Minister of Higher Education, her state-mate sponsor for her new position.

As "Polis" had said very well earlier, political interference by Govt is the "mother of all problems" ( I really like this phrase, I will hijack this phrases for future reference , with permission from "polis"), her problem is her political masters,not the academic staff.

So, my friend, if you are a lecturer in UM, you wouldn't want the TYRANT LADY to be a monster cracking her whip at all of you, in order to fulfill her political master's whims and fancies... which is easier now that the Minister of Higher Education is from her home state.

The only person who can provide the check and balance is Tok Guru Nik Aziz, who can go back to her village, the socalled "Klata", to tell her fellow village folks, she is a disgrace to her village and as a "anak Kelatae" and she should be banned from entering the border of the "independent-minded" Kelatae.

Folks

The new VC is from Kelantan and got high flying jobs with the compliments of the UMNO-run Govt.

There was a strong rumour in the Klang valley among the Umno and UMNO Youth leadership and apparatchiks that the Kelantanese/anak Kelatae who got high flying Govt jobs in KL/PJ, and winning millionaire contracts under the sponsorship of UMNO/Federal Govt, actually returned back to Kelantan at election time,(especially in two electios earlier) and voted for PAS. Word went round for one reason circulating among UMNO in the Klang valley, UMNO finds it hard to win state election in Kelantan.

Remember some election ago, not one UMNO won a state seat in Kelantan and only ONE Federal seat was won, ie by Tengku Razaleigh in Ulu Kelantan.

I wonder Pak Lah ever check our Tyrant Lady is a undercover PAS voter with UMNO public credentials?

Tok Guru Nik Aziz has NO problem with this win-win arrangement. wouldn't you?

Folks
I forgot to add WHY these anak Kelatae was alleged to have gone back to Kelantan to vote for PAS while enjoy UMNO-sponsored benefits in the Klang Valley.

These "anak Kelatae" working in the Klang Valley saw and were disgusted and also felt rightly annoyed by the sickening politics of UMNO, ie Malay vs Malay; Malay vs Chinese and Malay vs Indian politics. They saw that UMNO leadership using their political power to enrich the UMNO and UMNO Youth cronies through illegitimate and illegal means.

How do I know?

Klang Valley is a small place with plenty of "surat layang" floating around.

As I said, Kelantanese/anak Kelate, whether they are Kelantanese Chinese/Indian/Malay, have a strong independent streak, a deep sense of fair-play if ordinary folks are hit "below the belt" by those in power, and are willing to take on some inconvenience and hardship if need be. They normally don't easily prostitute their principles.

Remember, Kelantan joined Barisan National for 10 years and then decided to walk out when they found the damage done by UMNO in those 10 years in Kelantan, and since then, PAS had been winning the State election..ie Kelantanese just couldn't take UMNO's nonsense.

I hope our new VC will also live up to the strong principles inherent in a "anak Kelatae" so that the University of Malaya will return back at least some of its glorious past as an internationally recognise University.

It is so importantfor the new VC to be "her own boss" because UM's current reputation is in the gutter at the moment, frankly speaking.