GE14: some thoughts

I won’t be voting this time because I’m not in the country and I didn’t register in time to do a postal vote. Actually, kind of mad at myself that I won’t be voting, but I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again. I have no doubt that the Opposition will probably win Subang again, simply because Subang has had a really great run with Hannah Yeoh as our rep previously and now we’ve got someone who appears to be equally passionate as her about serving the people. In fact, she is a former classmate and friend of one of my TFM friends. That also means I’m old she’s young, and I’m really glad to see more and more young people entering politics. Yes, young people lack experience but in some ways the older generation is so entrenched in how things have been done all this while, the voices of the young need to be heard.

Malaysia is fortunate in the sense that our population is predominantly young, so the youth/young adult vote will really count. In Brexit, it was largely the older generation that was for it and many in the the younger generation were furious that they would be the ones who would really ‘suffer’ the effects of that vote.

I think it’s always sad if young people become jaded by politics. Heck, I was momentarily jaded by politics in GE13 and what came after that. Seeing how the Opposition just fell apart in the subsequent 4 years and the disunity and backbiting and parties splitting, in some ways I felt that they destroyed a lot of trust that they had built up, and in 2016 I remember thinking, if we hold elections now, I really don’t know who to vote for party-wise.

So, GE13 was a very emotional time for me. When the Opposition lost, I really felt like there was no hope left. One pastor shared how a young person texted him, ‘Pastor, WHY HAS GOD FORSAKEN US?’ I laughed, but it felt that way. Truthfully though, teaching in a little rural government school at the time, I knew that BN would win even though that area was a PAS stronghold. My kids and their families needed the BR1M so badly. Poverty doesn’t really allow you to plan too far ahead for the future – all you’re thinking is how to survive to the next day. Planning ahead is a luxury for those who have enough. Enough to eat and drink, enough to wear, enough to pay the bills and send your kids to school.

So, I understand.

I understand that this GE14, if BN wins again, it’s probably because they have the rural vote. But I pray, that no matter the outcome, that Malaysia will become more united and less divided.

[Side rant: Actually, at the end of the day, I don’t really care that much if BN or Opposition win. What I really care about is who is going to become the Education Minister and who is going to have the b*lls to say to all the JPN, PPD and all the teachers, “Let’s cut down on the bureaucracy and forms and unnecessary data we are forcing teachers to collect. Let’s have ONE system – either the physical attendance book, or online. Let’s only key in student information and test results in one place. And let’s invest in really good servers so that our 10,000 schools cannot crash them if they tried, OR we decentralise the education system.”

I’m not against reports. I’m not against data and assessments. But I am against doing the same thing three times over and trying to chase the curriculum and doing things other schools are doing just because THEY’RE showing results.

I’m not asking for air-conditioning or subject-specific classrooms, although that would be nice. I’m asking that the government (and sometimes, parents) stop expecting teachers to be the event planners, class decorators, disciplinarian, relationship counsellor (if kids are in high school), BR1M distributor and many other things besides.

I pray one day that if and when I step back into public education, it will be a place where teachers really do enjoy teaching and not feel burnt out by paperwork. Yes, I do like teaching in an international school but arts is for everyone, not just the rich. Sorry, side rant over.]