Selasa, Ogos 16, 2011

'GIVE SABAH MORE CONTROL’ – MASIDI

'Give Sabah more control’ – Masidi1

KOTA KINABALU 15th August, 2011: Datuk Masidi Manjun has reiterated his call in urging the federal government to cede some of its authority over matters concerning education, to the state government.

He believed it would enable better and more effective management of the development of education in Sabah citing the increasing number of private institutions of higher learning as a reason for the need to have better control.

“With a few hundred licensed private colleges in the country it may be difficult for the Ministry to effectively oversee their operation (in Sabah),” he said.

He pointed out how the Ministry of Higher Education recently had to send a senior assistant director of enforcement all the way from Putrajaya to Kota Kinabalu, to investigate a complaint against a private university college here.

A disgruntled parent had alleged that the college committed several misconduct which included misrepresentation and operating without an Occupational Certificate (OC) and a trading license, as well as deploying intimidating tactics to silence ‘whistleblowers’ and other complainants.

“Perhaps the Ministry may want to consider appointing Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) as its representative to ensure enforcement and authority on regulatory compliance,” Masidi suggested.

Besides being the Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Masidi is also the Minister in charge of matters on education in the state although education is exclusively a federal portfolio.

“Private colleges come directly under the Ministry of Higher Education and outside the purview of the State Education Department. As it is, I may be the minister overseeing educational matters in Sabah, but I have no executive power or any budget to give this post any substantive importance.

“A secondary school principal has more power than me. I can shout complaints at the top of my voice, which I have been doing, but the senior federal officers who make decisions can choose to ignore them,” he explained.

He was responding to the controversy surrounding one university college, after a disgruntled parent of its former student Dr Forest Kang accused the college of resorting to “intimidating tactics” in order to silence him and other parents who lodged an official complaint with the Public Complaints Bureau (PCB) here, on Tuesday.

The issue was first brought to light on July 29 this year, after Dr Forest highlighted it to the media with the assistance of Luyang state assemblywoman, Melanie Chia.

Masidi acknowledged that lately there have been many complaints against certain private colleges operating in Sabah.

These ranged from misrepresentation and conducting unaccredited or unrecognised courses to charging stiff tuition fees.

While noting that the availability of loans from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) has led to private colleges mushrooming in the country, he lamented that this has not been matched with a concerted effort by the Ministry to ensure consistent quality of courses offered.

“There is an urgent need for the Ministry to evaluate not only the courses offered by private colleges but also the quality of their academic staff and basic educational infrastructure.

“The Ministry should ensure that the students are not made into a cash cow by unscrupulous businessmen who are more interested in the cash turnover of their college while ignoring the well-being of their students,” he asserted.

He added that questionable private colleges and universities are growing in numbers all over the world and Sabah too has not been spared from such a phenomenon.

“In fact even among existing licensed private colleges operating in KK, there are a few with insufficient facilities not to mention very stiff fees. The easily available PTPTN loan has led to many private colleges that are set up with dubious facilities and inadequate teaching capacity.

“Students have become their cash cow. And the Ministry’s enforcement branch has not exactly been proactive in their job,” he lamented.

Noting that the State government is very concerned with the latest incident involving the said private college, Masidi called upon all local authorities to be vigilant and ensure that offices and commercial premises are properly licensed.

“They should be very inquisitive to avoid ‘fly-by-night’ businessmen from exploiting the trusting nature of Sabahans,” he stressed.

He added that he has urged officers of the Department of Private Education to continue monitoring all private colleges in the State.

Meanwhile, when contacted, director-general of the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) Datuk Yeo Boon Hai confirmed that he had signed and issued a closure order to the said college last Wednesday, citing the fact that it was operating without an OC.

To a question, he conceded that the college had not submitted any application for an OC to the City Hall.

39 ulasan:

  1. Agree with Masidi, Sabah do need more control in the state affairs.

    BalasPadam
  2. The Federal government should give Sabah more autonomy.

    BalasPadam
  3. ya.. Sabah harus diberi hak dan kuasa untuk mengurus dan mengawal urusan2 negeri.

    BalasPadam
  4. Sabah harus diberikan lebih kuasa untuk mengurus sistem pendidikannya..ini bagi menjadikan semuanya lebih lancar dan berkesan.

    BalasPadam
  5. harap pekara ini akan diberikan perhatian yang sewajarnya.

    BalasPadam
  6. Sudah banyak kali isu ini diperkatakan. Kenapa masih belum ada respon daripada Persekutuan? Adakah mereka saja melengah-lengahkannya?

    BalasPadam
  7. Pemimpin Sabah harus berani dan bersuara lantang dalam menentukan hala tuju negeri Sabah. Jangan biarkan diri anda menjadi pak turut Persekutuan saja. Lakukan yang terbaik untuk Sabah dan rakyatnya.

    BalasPadam
  8. i agree with you datuk masidi...state govt should have more control on education matters...

    BalasPadam
  9. federal govt should consider datuk masidi request..

    BalasPadam
  10. setuju dengan datuk masidi manjun...sabah harus diberi kuasa lebih untuk menguruskan sektor pendidikan di sabah...kerajaan persekutuan seharusnya meluluskan saranan ini kerana ianya memberikan kebaikan kepada kerajaan persekutuan dan negeri..

    BalasPadam
  11. yes agree with Masidi, the federal government should cede some of its authority over matters concerning education, to the state government.

    BalasPadam
  12. after all, it's for the benefit of the rakyat Sabah

    BalasPadam
  13. those private colleges operating without an OC and a trading license should be taken legal action by the authority/state government

    BalasPadam
  14. harap KP memberi tumpuan mengenai permintaan Masidi ini

    BalasPadam
  15. "He pointed out how the Ministry of Higher Education recently had to send a senior assistant director of enforcement all the way from Putrajaya to Kota Kinabalu, to investigate a complaint against a private university college here."

    is it wise the federal government to spend money for the airfare/lodging just for this matter? the state government could easily do the investigation...

    BalasPadam
  16. Rupanya masih ada kolej yang belum diiktiraf dan tidak mempunyai lesen walaupun sudah beroperasi sekian lama di Sabah ini.

    BalasPadam
  17. Saya juga setuju dengan cadangan Datuk Masidi ini. Sekiranya kuasa sepenuhnya untuk kerajaan negeri sudah pasti masalah pendidikan ini mudah untuk ditangani secepat mungkin. Tapi oleh kerana ikut prosuder ke Kerajaan Persekutuan melewatkan perkara ini diselesaikan. Kadang-kadang langsung tidak ada respon.

    BalasPadam
  18. sebaiknya Kerajaan Persekutuan janganlah terlalu mengawal Sabah. susah untuk maju jika segala urusan perlu merujuk terlebih dahulu dengan KP.

    BalasPadam
  19. “There is an urgent need for the Ministry to evaluate not only the courses offered by private colleges but also the quality of their academic staff and basic educational infrastructure."

    Certainly the ministry need to take care of the basic requirements of the colleges. Anyway, we hope Ministry hear your voice and do some improvement too.

    BalasPadam
  20. For effective and efficient management, I guess it is a good idea to give more and right authority power when come to decision making.

    BalasPadam
  21. "He pointed out how the Ministry of Higher Education recently had to send a senior assistant director of enforcement all the way from Putrajaya to Kota Kinabalu, to investigate a complaint against a private university college here."

    Tiada wakil di Sabah yang boleh buat siasatan demikian?

    BalasPadam
  22. Betul juga, nak buat kerja tetapi tidak diberi kuasa yang penuh, payah juga nak menjalankan tugas dengan berkesan. Harapkan suara didengari, perubahan dibuat secepat mungkin.

    BalasPadam
  23. “With a few hundred licensed private colleges in the country it may be difficult for the Ministry to effectively oversee their operation (in Sabah),”

    To a certain extent, control power and authority need to be entitled for effective operation too. Hope for the improvement.

    BalasPadam
  24. Cash cow? Hah, i heard that before.

    BalasPadam
  25. Masidi will not make such statement if the concerned ministry can perform their duties in this state effectively and efficiently. not only Masidi, but the public here are also can see the weaknesses done by federal government.

    BalasPadam
  26. Maybe what that Masidi statement is for help Sabahan in education. So Federal govt need to think this request from state govt.

    BalasPadam
  27. Benar apa yang dikatakan oleh Masidi disebabkan kuasa yang terbatas menyukarkan tugasan yang lain. Banyak kelulusan dari persekutuan maka ini akan melambatkan penyelesaian. Jadi sebaiknya berikan kuasa kepada kerajaan negeri supaya mudah untuk menangani apa masalah yang ada. Kerajaan persekutuan bertindak sebagai pemantau saja.

    BalasPadam
  28. "A disgruntled parent had alleged that the college committed several misconduct which included misrepresentation and operating without an Occupational Certificate (OC) and a trading license"

    Betul ke ada kolej yang tidak berlesen?? Harap Jabatan Pendidikan boleh buat siasatan kejadian tersebut.

    BalasPadam
  29. Sokong juga kata Masidi, sebagai seorang pemegang jawatan tinggi seharusnya diberi kuasa yang sepenuhnya supaya beliau boleh menjalankan tugas dengan lebih berkesan.

    BalasPadam
  30. Betul kata Masidi, jika setiap perkara perlu menunggu kelulusan dari persekutuan, bukan sahaja ambil masa, tetapi kurang effektif dan masalah akan tertangguh.

    BalasPadam
  31. "Authorised power" is equal to "Trust". By giving more authority to Masidi, its meant the federal putting more trust him too. Hope federal can highly considering these for better management.

    BalasPadam
  32. Semua cadangan/ perubahan yang boleh membawa kesan positif dan effective seharusnya dipertimbangkan. Harap-harap ini akan mendapat perubahan supaya Masidi boleh menjalankan tugas dan tanggung beliau dengan berkesan.

    BalasPadam
  33. If we can't have more control, we'll never grow.

    BalasPadam
  34. Yes, we want more control.

    BalasPadam
  35. I don't understand why we are hardly to get approval/permission to deal with our own problems.

    BalasPadam
  36. Adakah Sabah tidak layak untuk menyelesaikan masalah sendiri?

    BalasPadam
  37. I think their doubt cause it all.

    BalasPadam
  38. Apa pun, saya amat berharap agar masalah pendidikan di Sabah dapat diselesaikan.

    BalasPadam