The Malaysian Insight

IT’S Day 118 of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, and Maszlee Malik has been education minister for 110 days.

And one day as International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) president.

That hasn’t gone down well with many in the PH government, and more so the man-in-the-street or the opposition. Some say it is tradition for an education minister to be IIUM president, as both Anwar Ibrahim and Najib Razak held the post when they were education ministers.

True, but that is how Barisan Nasional (BN) did it when it was the government. It is not the government now; PH is. And PH has said it will not do double duty for a lot of appointments.

Consider the previous PH candidate for the education ministry portfolio. His name is Dr Mahathir Mohamad. But he is also the prime minister and was reminded that he cannot hold any other cabinet post.

He acquiesced and named Maszlee to the post, signalling confidence in a man who had just joined Bersatu and won a seat the first time he ever contested a general election.

So much is expected of Maszlee. More so as the education minister. 

He promised as much in an interview with the New Straits Times on June 7, saying,“This is a new era. I will make sure that the Pakatan Harapan government will never misuse universities for political interests… this includes me.

“We will neither control and dictate to them (the universities) nor force them (to do anything). We really want the universities to enjoy their autonomy and cultivate academic freedom in their territory,” he said.

No one is saying that he will control IIUM as president but what are the reasons to give him that post?  Aren’t there other capable people for this job? How about the other universities? Are they of lesser value to the education minister?

Ministers such as Maszlee must remember who gave them their mandate. It is the people, who want a government that will make a better Malaysia but not at the expense of their trust and money.

As it is, he has huge challenges ahead, apart from freeing the colour of school shoes or the weight of school bags for primary schoolchildren. His attention is needed to ensure Malaysia has the best teachers and education system for the future.

Dr Mahathir had said he wanted vision schools so that children of all races in all types of schools can study and play together for unity. But some things he can’t just leave to enactments and laws.

That vision needs everyone to work together. That vision needs an education minister who is focused on the task at hand. Not one who wears many hats and handles too many things on his work desk.

Maszlee, try to be the Dr Mahathir of 2018. Focus on the job at hand. – September 5, 2018.

* Jahabar Sadiq runs The Malaysian Insight.