KUALA LUMPUR: The offering of subjects based on streams; namely the science stream and the arts stream, can kill students' potential, and this is not just for the Malays, but all races.
In saying this, renowned poet, author and language activist Dr Lim Swee Tin calls for a massive revamp of Malaysia's school system.
NSTP reached out to Lim for comments on Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) chairman Tun Daim Zainuddin saying that Malays should enter science-based courses.
In an interview with Astro Awani last night, Daim remarked how robotics and artificial intelligence are two important areas Malaysia must focus in order to compete on the global stage.
Daim remarked that many Malays love literature because it is easy to pass, saying they should instead be doing engineering and science.
While Lim agrees with Daim that we need scientists and Malaysians who can excel in the field of robotics, he stressed the importance of scientists with good manners, courtesy, good ethics and good moral standing as well as having high integrity.
This he said can be achieved by changing the school system.
Agreeing with Daim on Malay students having the tendency to opt for the arts stream, he however pointed out that the context the former finance minister was speaking in could have something to do with the lack of subjects such as physics, chemistry or additional mathematics in the arts stream.
"Literature is also important. The subjects offered in the 'arts stream' are necessary. This is because we need historians, journalists, and those in other fields to help in nation building," Lim said, stating that subjects in the arts stream were more humanities-based, such as history and geography.
However, Lim said literature is not easy to pass.
"Many Malay students fail the subject of Malay literature," he said, adding that the number of students taking literature is actually on a decline.