There was a demonstration in front of Sogo shopping complex yesterday. The demonstration was aiming to show rakyat’s protest against the implement of teaching Mathematics and Science in English. I was in Kuantan. If I were to in KL, I might consider joining the demo. I am one of many people who are against the idea of teaching Mathematics and Science in English.
For me, I can’t understand why Mathematics and Science should be taught in English. The government said that it is to improve English language among students. I believe that this is not the way. I was lucky that I was not involved in the PPSMI. In other words, during my school times I learned Mathematics and Science in Malay language. Though I was not taught in English, I can’t say my English is perfect as I still make mistakes here and there, but overall my English is not bad. The way I master my English is by talking in English, reading English newspapers, watching English movies, teaching English to others and my latest technique is writing my blog in English.
What the government should do to improve English language among students is by reviewing our syllabus. From what I can see is that our syllabus does not stress on grammar. From my experience, students are afraid to talk in English because they are afraid of doing grammar mistakes. They prevent themselves from talking in English. As a result, they are not able to improve their English. So, simple mathematics. We stress on grammar, students master it, have confidence to talk in English and hence improve their English.
I would like to end my posting with a quotation from one well known professor. He said in an interview published in a major newspaper:
“Ilmu itu adalah kunci kejayaan. Mengajar Matematik dan Sains dalam Bahasa Inggeris ibarat mengambil kunci tersebut”
• The Jewish have won 15 dozen of Nobel Prize while Muslims have won 5 only. • There are a total of 500 universities in Islamic countries while there are more than 5000 universities in United States alone.
No wonder there are conquering today’s knowledge. Therefore Muslims, we should strive harder and become THE MASTER OF THE WORLD. Remember, the first revelation:
“Read! In the name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists). He has created from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not”
I know that I am a bit late to write about Gaza. Frankly speaking, each and every time I read news about Gaza attack, I was deeply saddened. The attack has taken thousands of innocent lives and causing many people to lose their homes. Furthermore, knowing the fact that the Palestinians are depriving for our help, but we as the citizen of the world and most importantly, as Muslim, failed to protect them made me even sadder. Therefore, I avoided reading news about Gaza. When I don’t read about it, I can’t write about it. Before I write further, I want to express my greatest sympathy to the Palestinians. My prayers are always with you.
My priority in this writing is not about condemning the Israelis because I am sure that there are enough people writing about it. I prefer to discuss about our failure to offer our help. Brothers and sisters. Try looking around us. Can you name me one great Muslim leader? I am sure that the answer is a big NO. This is the main reason on why we fail to offer our help. Our leaders are the blind followers of the West. Like I wrote in my previous writing, we are too dependent on the West. Because of that, we are afraid to act against their wishes.
The second reason is we have no power. Power in this context must not be constricted to army, but must be looked at a wider aspect. I believe that the greatest power is knowledge. Knowledge is the key of success. With knowledge, we can conquer the world. Talking about knowledge, who “owns” all today’s knowledge? Obviously not Muslims. The West owns it. Muslims are lacking behind.
The third reason is there is no unity among Muslims. My Arabic lecturer once said, “Orang Islam bersatu untuk tidak bersatu” (Muslims unite for not uniting). He is definitely right. He said that due to the fact that Muslims around the world are killing each other. Fatah supporters kill Hamas supporters and vice versa. They have the same faith. Can’t they actually unite and work hand in hand to protect their land? History has shown us, how our beloved prophet Muhammad united the tribes of Arabia whom the Romans and Persians considered so wild, warlike and backwards. He molded them into a nation of Super men, who became masters of the world. We must therefore be patient with one another, keep our ego under control, cleanse our heart of all vanity and false pride.
Brothers and sisters. Thomas Elva Edison had brought a huge change to the world by inventing the first light bulb. Before this, people never thought that man can actually fly up in the sky. The Wright brothers had made it possible by inventing the first airplane. Edward Jenner finding’s had led to the eradication of small pox. Newton’s discovery had brightened our knowledge. Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. and his teaching have become guidance and lighten up our life. These are some examples of how an action or actions by one person benefited many. Therefore my friend, if you think that your voice and your actions are small and will not bring any benefits to the Palestinians. You are indeed wrong. You can play a vital role. What role you want to play. It is all up to you. (If i told you, this will be a long posting)
I’ll be starting my 3rd block this Monday, 19th January 2009. 2 days after Kuala Terengganu by-election. Hehehe. It’s a good thing because it gives me the chance to keep myself updated with the by-election. In this 3rd block, of course I’ll be learning lots and lots of new things. This block, I’ll be learning Pharmacology, Parasitology, Microbiology and not forgetting Anatomy. There will be a lot of memorizing. I guess those ex-Darul Quran students have an advantage.
I have prepared myself physically by buying some books that I believe will be useful for this block. But, mentally, I’m in doubt. I have received the timetable for the 3rd block. It is so packed. Almost every day, the class will start at 8am and ends at 4pm. Sigh. But never mind. I have chosen this path and there is no turning back. The only thing I can do is try to do my best.
Here I have outline few aims for me to accomplish this block.
1.Distinction. I know it is hard but nothing is impossible. Jika kau fikirkan kau boleh, kau pasti boleh melakukan.
2.Obtain better result from the previous 2 blocks.
3.Beat Azmad, Majid and Aizuddin. Not forgetting Farhana and Raihana.
4.Be an organized and systematic people. I want all my notes properly kept. I had enough of borrowing other’s notes and photostat it because I thought that I had lost mine. But the next day, I found mine back. Actually, it was in my bag at all times. This is also to avoid Ainie, Zira, Nana, Farouq and Majid from meleter. Hehehe
5.Keep my room tidy at all times. Before this, my room is always in a mess. Each time after I clean up my room, I realized that my room is indeed big. Bigger than Farouq’s. Farouq, don’t be jealous.
6.Now, that I have obtained my ideal weight, I will stop practicing sedentary life style and start practicing active life style. I am thinking of jogging and perhaps table tennis. The problem is I always ‘think’. Never actually make it into reality. Always with excuses. To my friends, please force me to jog or to play table tennis. I allow you to punch me in my face if I give ‘unreasonable’ excuses.
From all 5 aims, I believe no 5 is the hardest. I don’t think no 5 will become a reality. But, saya bukan lah seorang yang mudah berputus asa. I will try my best. InsyaAllah, God willing it will become a reality.
While studying psychology, a lot of views came into my mind. I believe I should share it with others. So, learning psychology is one of the reasons why I started blogging. While studying psychology for my final exam, I came across with one topic that is coping with handicap. In the topic, the writer wrote:
“The pattern of social reactions to the handicapped person in the community will also be likely to have psychological effects. Physically able people often report feelings of discomfort and uncertainty when interacting with a handicapped person”
From my experience, I strongly agree that physically able people do feel, from my point of view inappropriate discomfort when dealing with a handicapped person. To make the matter even worse the feeling of discomfort is without any valid reason. Therefore, I believe the handicapped people, in some way are being discriminate by us, the “normal” people. I have no experience of becoming a handicapped. But, I think, I had a similar experience. Let me share with you my story and I will also reveal a few pictures that not many of my friends have seen it.
5th September 2002, it was Thursday. My parents, my twin brother and I boarded a plane to Saudi Arabia. We were planning to perform our umrah. We arrived in Jeddah, at 2pm local time (7pm Malaysia time). From the airport, we took a bus from the airport to Medina. We spent few days in Medina. On 8th September 2002, while on our way to Mecca to perform our umrah, the bus that were carrying my family and I, together with about 40 more pilgrims from Malaysia involved in an accident. The bus collided with a lorry. As a result, the bus caught into fire. The fire started just beneath me. Due to the collision, I was trapped at my seat. Alhamdulillah after a few trials, I managed to get myself out. Then, I was sent to King Fahd Hospital in Medina for treatments.
The bus.
Because of the accident, I suffered from 45% burns and a fracture. I was hospitalized in King Fahd Hospital for 17 days. During the hospitalization period, I underwent one major skin grafting surgery. I was wheeled into the OT at 9am and wheeled out at 5pm. After 17days, I was transferred to Kuala Lumpur Hospital where I was hospitalized for nearly 3 months. I had another skin grafting surgery in Kuala Lumpur Hospital.
Raihan came and visit me in HKL.
Treatments for burn patients do not end once you have been discharged from the hospital. Treatments for burn patients take years. In my case, I completed my treatments in June 2006. So, it is about four years. It took a long time because the therapists have to make sure all the scars have to be matured or else there will be excessive collagen growth resulting in formation of kelloid. My medical friends should now. During the 4 years of treatments (I personally call it the longest 4 years in my life), I have to wear a special garment, pressure garment 24/7 to control the formation of scar. Believe me, wearing that is very uncomfortable. Because I also had burns in my face, I had to wear a special mask. The cost of making that mask is RM7000. I wear in day and night and everywhere I go.
Me at school wearing the mask
Back to our topic, from my experience, when I wore that mask, I can’t deny that people were looking at me. Alhamdulillah, I am hati batu person. So, I don’t care much what people said and I don’t border about all the attentions I received. How about other people? For your information, in Malaysia, most burn patients are children. When they have to wear the mask, people are looking at them. Do you know how they feel? As a result, there are many cases reported that children refuse to wear the mask.
Sometimes, the children also being tease by their friends. We can’t blame their friends because that is the nature of children. But, I am angry to the parents. They should explain to their children not tease their friends. Explain to their children that their friend is currently in treatments. Parents sometimes failed to do this. I remember, back in 2003. I went out with my sister to KLCC. I wore the mask. We sat down to wait for my brother in law. There’s a child with his mother. The child was staring and pointing at me. I chose to neglect it. Then, the mother came and asked my sister what happened to me. My sister explained to her. As the mother of the child walked away, my sister heard the mother of the child said to her son: “Tu mesti anak derhaka”. She even encouraged her son to point and stare at me. Is this the appropriate way to raise a child? And how can she make such a conclusion when she doesn’t really know me at all? As far as I can recall, I never heard my parents’ feelings or derhaka to them.
Brothers and sisters, I do believe that we should not treat the handicapped people differently. Treat them as normal as possible. We shouldn’t feel discomfort when dealing with them. Remember that they are also human and they have feelings as well.
