I received an email from a student from a Mara Junior Residential Science College at Kuala Lipis. He wrote a short letter but it was hard hitting. Shakthinidhi Karananidi (Form Four student) indicated that the YSS team and I had made a promise which we did not fulfill. The promise given to him was that YSS will visit the students but this was not done. His comment ‘is it just a say not an action’.
Noting our error and in order to fulfill this promise and to encourage the young people at Kuala Lipis a visit was organized on February 24, 2007. YSS Karu and I drove from KL and were met by Mr A Karuppiah, the MIC Kuala Lipis Divisional Leader who then guided us to the junior college.
The Lips MRSM has over 700 students of whom 40 are from the Indian community and 14 are Chinese. A few years ago MRSM introduced a ten percent intake of non-Bumiputra students. It has a very nice campus and all the students have residential facilities within the campus. MRSM is a fully residential college providing science education for students between the ages 13 or 14 (Form One) to 17 or 18 years of age (Form Five).
The Indian young people very pleased to meet us. All of them know Mr A Karuppiah who is a retired Tamil School Head Master and who comes weekly to conduct the Tamil classes on Saturdays. The college has employed him on a part-time basis to teach Tamil. He has been in the teaching profession for the past 37 years. He was very much at ease with the students.
The dialogue session with YSS was conducted in English. The two student leaders who spoke before me spoke in very good English. I was surprised and while some Tamil and Malay words were said in passing, it was in English. This practice is helpful for the students who become very familiar with the English language in public speaking.
In my motivational address I encouraged the young people to work hard and make the best use of the opportunity given. One must emerge as young and upcoming scientist. In the context of Malaysian Indians, these youths are the cream. They all secured 5As if from mainstream schools or 7As if from vernacular schools.
Shakti (Form Four) who is from Bentong indicated that they have very good facilities and the learning environment is very nice. He also said that they feel they are in one big family as brothers and sisters. They do not feel discriminated or isolated. According to him the teachers were understanding and very helpful. They do have alternative food namely vegetarian as well as other options when beef is served. Shakti did confess that in the beginning it was tough, felt home sick but now adjusted and very happy.
Roshani Menon (Form Four) is from Kuantan. She too enjoys her stay and study. She went on to say that they have a long day with classes from 7.30am till 2pm. Followed by afternoon group study time and evening individual study. They can return home only one weekend per month. She too said that in the beginning she felt home sick but with the friends she has got used to it as she now has many close friends.
Arasan (Form Three) is from Karak. He is a Tamil school 7A student. He confidently said that although from Tamil school he had no difficulty with studies at MRSM. One of his very close friends is Asyrat, a Malay youth from Sepang. Arasan said he got close to Asyrat because they studied together and they had many things in common to talk such as football.
Sharlini (Form Three) is from Kota Tinggi, Johore. As her home is far away she is unable to go home monthly but would do so when there is a longer break. She too is from a Tamil school and had scored 7As. She said that at first she had some communication problems but has learnt to adjust. Her friends really helped her through the early difficult periods. She indicates that she misses her parents.
One of Sharlini’s very close friends is a young Malay girl Anis, who is from Kelantan. They became close as they sit together in the class. When asked whether Sharlini had difficulties with Anis who is a Muslim from Kelantan which is a very conservative area, Sharlini indicated not every one is an extremist and that her friend Anis is easy to get along and that they are good friends.
The stories of both Arasan and Sharlini amazed me. It is one of attitude and getting to know the other. Here is a case of two Indian youths from a Tamil school who now have very close Malay Muslim friends. In this case their vernacular school experience has not inhibited their integration. Credit also goes to the leadership of the MRSM and the counselors who have facilitated this integration.
These are very good role models. Unfortunately in Malaysian society, our media is interested very much in negative stories where there are inter racial fights, disunity and disharmony. We must try and promote positive examples of friendship and enable other young people struggling to establish bonds that will bind the nation.
Student Request
In the dialogue the students requested YSS to fund a camp for them especially an outing to Cameron Highland or Gentings.
The students also asked YSS to secure permission to go weekly to the Hindu temple. As it is residential college the students must have permission to leave the campus and even if granted must be back by 6pm. Further more the college rules states that when they go out of campus they must be in the college uniform which is not suitable for the temple visit. They also require an adult couple to accompany them and need transport.
We returned to KL with many inspiring stories of how young people are coping in new and challenging environments. These experiences will build them up as better human being. For a start they posses the right attitudes of making the best use of all avenues provided. They also seek intervention and support from the wider community and this we must to encourage our young people to become future scientist and nation builders.
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Email:
enquiries@yss98.com
