Malaysia bypassed
For Singapore
A Singaporean chosen to head Riyadh's US$10b university, not a Malaysian Muslim. By Lim Kit Siang.
Jan 26, 2008

Malaysia by-passed while Singaporean chosen in global search by Saudi Arabia for first President of US$10b King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Educational and in particular university quality and excellence has increasingly become an important indicator not only of a nation's international competitiveness but its capacity for development as a world-class developed nation.

A recent news report in the world of higher education is a sobre and sombre reminder as to how far we have lagged behind in the international stakes for university excellence and development of quality human resources.

Earlier this month, it was announced that the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia's much anticipated US$10b university, has appointed Shih Choon Fong, a Singaporean as its first president.

Shih, who is president of the National University of Singapore, will assume the task of creating from scratch what Saudi Arabia hopes will become one of the world's leading research institutions.

Ali Al-Naimi, Saudi Arabia's minister of petroleum and mineral resources, who is chairman of the university's governing board, said that Shih was "the right person" to fulfill the vision for the new institution.

The university, known as Kaust, is scheduled to open in September 2009.

Was any Malaysian from the 20-odd public universities in serious running of being scouted in the extensive global search among top academic research leaders for the top job for the world's sixth richest university even before it opens, as King Abdullah provided US$10b of his own money to start the new institution?

Malaysian educators should have an edge over an Singaporean as both Malaysia and Saudi Arabia are members of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Islam Hadhari concept propagated by the Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, but clearly these "affinities" were not enough when it is a test of excellence and meritocracy.

Malaysians would like to hear from the Prime Minister and the Higher Education Minister, Mustapha Mohamad as to what they have to say why no Malaysian was in the running for the top prestigious job for KAUST and what they propose to do to end the mediocrity of Malaysian universities in the international league of higher education.

Comments (excerpts)

michael chick
Educational and in particular university quality and excellence has increasingly become an important indicator not only of a nation's international competitiveness but its capacity for development as a world-class developed nation.
I have always talked about how Malaysians simply drop the difficulty of the exams just so that people can pass. And that is the sore and pathetic state of affairs happening in Malaysia.

Batangkali
Malays looks up to the Arabs for cultural, religious and educational leadership. Malays & muslims wants to be Arab and suck up to Arab, thinking everything Arab must be good for the Malays even to the extend of wishing that their daughters will find a Arab as a husband.
The sad reality, is that the Arabs like to hegemonise the Malays, but actually " look down" on the Malays. They want the Malays to learn arabic, dress like Arabs but will never acknowledge the existence of a Malay culture at all.
Ask any muslims who have been to Haj or Umrah & ask them to share the unpleasant experience they have with the Arab authorities and the guards during the Haj. Tell the Arab guards that you are from Malaysia & see what kind of reaction they give. Malaysian muslims are discrimanated just like black muslims from Africa.
Time for Malays to regain their own culture & rethink, and not be suck in by the cunning arabs.

vineeth menon
We don't care what others think of us.. for us Malay language, religious identity and reservation is more important than the quality of education and improvement of the country. We will make microsoft windows in MALAY ,If we cannot make, at least we get others to make, and pay them to put one of our Malaysian as a team member. Just like our Space tourist claiming to be astronaut.

technoboy
.. Not only in this case we lost to Singapore, please note the billions that by-passed us which Singapore has or intents to invest in failing global financial institutions like UBS, Citigroup, Merill Lynch, the aborpted China Eastern Airline, Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park, just to name a few.

tcutcutcu
Haw haw... The Saudis prefer the Singapore economic prostitutes instead of the pure, wholesome Malaysia... Somebody please tell me why like that one?
You all know why but simply aren't prepared to admit it.

Sword of Justice
Let's just face the fact. Malays are not competitive. How can they choose someone from here when we have no real statistics to proove that there are real brains in this country.

Rohani Hitam
The Gulf countries take advantage of their rich petrodollars to reinvest both in commerce and education while Malaysian government choose to steal and cheat its citizens. Our education sucks, our investment incurred losses all because we have a very weak government and corrupted ministers/UMNO Putras.
Choosing Singapore and give a fellow Islamic country only demonstrates how the Arabs are now above board.

bbmars
Mr. Shih Choon Fong will be releasing his position by the end of the year leaving NUS (National University of Singapore). His successor has already been named and taking over.
Yes, no doubt, Shih may get assistance from NUS and a free hand as he pleases. Back in Singapore, apart from the results in leading NUS into what it is today, he is also well known for something many dislike.
He was the guy who implemented part teaching and part project salary into the U system. University pays staff 75% salary and 25% staff will have to earn their take from taking industry or consultancy projects.
Also implemented cut in leaves that had affected all academic staffs, with many unhappy about the changes. I am not in any position to comment, but the salary thingy is something, I won't like, but if he doesn't many of the academic staff will be having an easy time, carrying on their way of life.
Some busy with projects, while some just teach...no enhancement and enrichment of whatever they specialises on.
In other word, contribute their strength to the economy and industry, which I have seen positive results in many cases. Just that, it forced many unperforming staff to wake up and think about their own and university's position.

gyshow
There is another slap from Saudi Arabia to Malaysia. Just recently, Lee Kuan Yew from Singapore was invited to Saudi Arabia as a consultant to their future economy development. Why is it our Tun Mahathir or our hadhari PM Badawi were sidelined since they always boost Malaysia is the most succussful developing country in the world?

ahmadbadrul40
Malays are spoilt by UMNO. And they will never get anywhere in the world.

Malas-yu
A little bird told me that the Saudis had put forward a Malaysian name to the government. This was objected to by our government because he was not a Bumi. You see the Saudis wanted a person of quality so they turned to a Singaporean.
(Comments from Malaysia Today)

http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/1688/46/