YOURSAY | 'How long is temporary when interim means years?'

FairMind: Education is for the long term; not a political football to be played for one-and-a-half hours.

We don't need a temporary education minister; worst still, a 94-year-old minister who is bent on his old, outdated ideas and cannot accept input and feedback from other competent authorities.

This is the worst-case scenario for our education system. We need a full-fledged education minister who is not from any political party and who can have a long-term plan to raise the education level.

Is this Mahathir’s idea to make him indispensable and harder for him to be removed from the two positions?

Anyhow, Pakatan Harapan is just shooting its own foot by acting contrary to its own manifesto of holding two portfolios.

Bluemountains: Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad should not be made interim education minister because he may want to stay on forever, just like the way he is holding on to the interim prime minister's post.

This is certainly going to affect his performance as PM.

Ruslan Bahari: His “temporary” will morph into two years, then he leaves the premiership, and keeps portfolio.

Frankie: Indeed, how long is temporary when 'interim' means years? There are many young ones in the governing coalition, but none are qualified?

Kangkung: Last we heard, this old fox wanted to be PM "temporarily" within a transition period. And now it looks like he will be PM for good.

He had wanted the education minister’s post for himself since the beginning and now he has got the chance. I wonder if all of this has to do with the biggest allocation the Education Ministry gets.

Hello: Harapan broke their promise of no second ministry for the PM, even though it is "temporary". What is the cabinet doing?

Anonymous_3f4b: Yes, another U-turn by Harapan. They are not adhering to their misleading manifesto.

As though Mahathir will make a better education minister. See what he did to the education policies when he was education minister and PM previously?

Are there no other capable persons in Harapan or experienced educationists outside to helm the Education Ministry?

Mah Kau Fan: When the first cabinet was proposed, Mahathir wanted to be education minister. But all other Harapan partners objected, saying it was a manifesto promise that the PM cannot hold two posts.

So Maszlee Malik, a rookie, was given the post. While he made cosmetic changes like allowing black shoes to be worn in school, he didn’t do enough for policies that matter which is the essence of a good education.

Those who were once objectors are now keeping silent about the PM holding two posts. Actually, these hypocrites should just shut up. Because the many promises they made in their manifesto have not been implemented.

Quigonbond: Maybe Harapan should hand him a permanent senior ministerial status in charge of education because education is the number one thing that needs fixing in this country and he has the guts to bulldoze through proper reforms.

Then let PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim take over as PM, calm nerves and lead from a moderate and progressive centre.

Alamak: Thank you, Mahathir. Please increase teaching time for mathematics so that we can enter the robotics age gloriously. Robots are made by electrical engineers. Electrical engineers must be good at mathematics.

Please do away with unproductive subjects. Only Mahathir can do it.

Anonymous_7d1ca773: Mahathir, I hope you heed the rakyat's voice to revamp the educational policy to better prepare our children to meet the needs of an ever-challenging world by, for example, focusing on science, maths, technology, creativity, and not on any other time-wasting subjects made compulsory.

Clever Voter: Some years ago, he proposed that science and mathematics be taught in English, he then insisted that English be re-emphasised, and recently he has said that schools are becoming too religious.

It would be expected that he has a long line of people waiting to see. This man is 94, and seriously, the expectations will be too many and unrealistic for him.

Constitutional Supremacy: Mahathir was responsible for introducing maths and science in English. No other minister has followed on it. We can expect some good changes under him.

The cabinet ministers going to Puchong school to address the Chinese New Year controversy was with Mahathir’s blessing.

If Maszlee was still the education minister, the removal of Chinese decorations would have been supported. The PM does not need the post. He has the country's interest at heart.

Newday: I am looking forward to the use of English being of much higher priority in teaching than it is currently.

Temporary can be for a very long time with the ageing leopard. You better sort out a secular-based successor soon and given the current state of the country, that may be very difficult indeed.

Be reminded - meritocracy must be the way and not be based on political party affiliations.

Malaysian Expatriate: The education portfolio is a distinct litmus paper for all to see in black and white of which path the country is heading. Let us wait and see.

Anonymous 770241447347646: For 22 years, Mahathir was at the helm and we saw our education system compromised. Today, the students are paying the price for the many failed education policies.

You expect miracles to happen within this short time? Even when given a second chance (to become prime minister), in the first 20 months, the people have seen one disappointment after another.

Don't keep your hopes up.

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