Category Archives: Current Events

Kolej Permata@Pintar Negara – SPM

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SPM is just a beginning

SPM is not a true measure of a student’s intelligence

These words are often used to reassure our students who didn’t do well in their SPM. Especially when they are faced with high expectations. In some cases, perhaps these words are meant for parents who have high hopes for their children’s success. These parents end up being devastated as they wish their child had more A’s to guarantee a bright future. Indeed, their arguments are valid because scholarship opportunities are only considered for top scorers. Similarly, placements for competitive programmes like medicine are also offered to those with high academic performances. Even for those less adept in logical-mathematical intelligence, sitting for SPM is still important as employers still want that certificate as a sign of commitment to mental vocation. Thus, it’s clear why parents still want their children to score in SPM – that is to grab the best academic chances that use SPM as its benchmark.

A talent for every child – Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence

Kolej Permata@Pintar Negara is not the place for parents and students who think this place is solely to grill kids to get straight A’s and fly overseas. This is because it is evident that many years ago KPPN never scored high on the SPM ranking charts as opposed to the more familiar names in the arena of Premiere MRSM and Elite SBP schools. Personally, I have never seen KPPN scoring higher GPS than my alma mater, STF. Yet, when my son chose to go KPPN, I have reserved a thought that if he wanted to score in his SPM, it will be gruelling as he is also preparing for his High School Diploma at the centre.

As expected, when the recent SPM results came out recently – drama unfolded in the group message where a lot of parents were seeking justification as to how the geniuses were not getting their A’s. Honestly, it was interesting to see the many perspectives coming from the parents. From the limited conversations that my husband showed me, since I am not in the group – there were some points that I agree and some that I disagree.

Disagree : Intensive academic sessions. The concern was that student’s were not studying enough, not trained enough to answer SPM questions in the answer scheme. Some even said because of this, KPPN should hire tutors with SPM experience. Some even intend to send their kids for tuition during the school breaks.

If you can train villagers in China to make replica paintings for sale, you could also train any child to become high achievers. First of all, there is nothing wrong in being a high achiever as it showcases abilities and increases motivation for the individual to always do their best in life. However, parents of KPPN should be prepared to accept that their child might not score in their SPM because their type of intelligence, as per Gardner is not measured by SPM. It is a difficult pill to swallow, I know. As difficult as it was for Pauline Einstein when the teachers back then told her they were unable to teach her son because of his ‘mental deficits’. In a way, Einstein did not fit into the standard features of a ‘good student’ at the time.

Genius kids are not meant to fit into general education standards. When I was in STF, we had workshops where we practically memorized the steps and answers to the problem. Did we understand everything though? I believe if you ask back, the answer is probably a no. Especially in Add Maths hahaha. So yes, you can train someone to answer it like the scheme but later as they venture into the outside world, not many will thrive because they do not have the ability to think for themselves. They were spoonfed. They were standardized.

KPPN comes into the picture to nurture extraordinary intelligence. Unfortunately, it is at the expense of not getting a good SPM result that dismays parents. Thus, refraining these gifted children to stay earnest, competitive and excel in their field of choice! It’s no wonder than desperate parents are pushing for extra classes or tuition just so they could score in their exams. I on the other hand, is not a fan of ‘study all the time’. I have confidence in my child’s ability to process his learning even in a short time and I would prefer that he explored other things like language, religious studies, sports and just being a kid at KPPN. It is a plus point if his emotional intelligence is also nurtured throughout his interaction with the tutors and friends.

Agree : What makes KPPN special then if the students, despite taking on so many subjects in their early secondary schooling, still have to go through the same selection process into tertiary educational centre as other high-achievers after SPM?

As much as I believe that KPPN always have their student’s best interest in mind, I also believe that when highly intelligent people do something – they always lack in communication and direction. Ever heard of statements where people say ‘pandai tapi berat mulut’, ‘pandai tapi tak pandai bercampur dengan orang’. When these traits are brought into adulthood that’s where communication breakdown happens and other people are not able to see the vision that KPPN has.

Parents being human beings, they seek for acknowledgement that what they are doing is right for their children. Which means they need to see what the plan is in the future. I anticipate that since KPPN is a well established centre that nurtures genius individuals, I would expect that the alternative path set for them must be designed to fit their abilities.

I once read an article about a professor lamenting that he has yet to see the products of KPPN participating in ventures of pure science. I thought it was an interesting point. After all, any high achiever enrolled in medical school can still graduate and become a doctor. You don’t have to become a genius to do that. So where do genius fit in the society? In areas that encourage the birth of new knowledge or basic application of it. I am thinking of scientists, philosophers, academicians, technologists, creators etcs. I am thinking of those who proposed the Human Genome project, who created Facebook and Microsoft, who builds planes and electrical appliances. This is the direction I think the children should be exposed to.

Since KPPN does not communicate on the programmes they have for SPM leavers – it is justified for parents to think that these kids will undergo the same selection process into Uni after SPM.

Perhaps if there is an internship programme in the intelligence team of the police force or the military, in a research lab, in an established art gallery, a prominent university, an environmental organisation, an archeological venture, and even in the national library that recognises gifted children and their abilities and is able to support them – parents would be more reassured of their children’s future.

I was asking my son the other day, what does he want to be? He said a policeman. I asked what kind? He said he doesn’t know yet.

At the mention of being a policeman, some would automatically think about those who do their rounds in the car on the road. Or those who take your report of an accident at the police station. To me however, I think of Bukit Aman and it’s intelligence team. Surely, there must be some smart ass cop hiding somewhere who is really good in investigating crimes – studying patterns of heinous activities and profiles of suspects. Surely, there is a role for geniuses in the police force to not only go after villains but put in an effort to protect the integrity and safety of the police force. Perhaps there are brains that create items or systems to enhance police safety, task speed and maintain the country’s secrecy from hackers and stuff. Is that not an area that geniuses could contribute to as well? Boleh kan…

So I feel KPPN needs to explore this. Or if it already being explored – make it known to the parents. ‘kita ada program has dengan PDRM bla bla bla.. setelah SPM akan dapat biasiswa bla bla bla.. selain meneruskan pengajian di UKM.. mereka juga diberi latihan khas di bawah seliaan PDRM bla bla bla… sekiranya berjaya .. akan diserap terus ke dalam unit intelligence PDRM bla bla bla… ‘. If KPPN does this, trust me, the parents will kembang hidung and badan for the next decade at the prospect of their child being able to thrive differently than high-achievers. Takdelah terkilan if the child is not able to study overseas.

The Genocide

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At the mention of the word WAR – most people would have an image from what we see in Hollywood movies where everything gets destroyed instantly. Maybe a scene from Saving Private Ryan or Dunkirk. At least that is how war was described during those years. Which is why when the Russian-Ukraine war happened, not many really understand how war ‘works’ in modern times. Because it doesn’t fit the picture in their heads.

At the mention of the word GENOCIDE – perhaps what people have in mind is what they see in the movie Hotel Rwanda. Where the offenders would roam around the city and kill whoever it is at the end of their knife or gun. There is this imagination that the offenders need to be on the ground, wearing civilian clothing, shouting profanity and hatred, announcing their greatness and killing the repressed in groups. That probably explains why some people do not understand that what is happening to Palestine is a genocide. Because it doesn’t fit the picture in their heads.

It gets even more confusing when they see Palestinians still living and ‘selling’ things on social media – because if this is war or genocide, shouldn’t everyone be living in fear, without food or water, dying slowly. Where do they spend their money? How do the sellers get their supplies? It puzzles international audiences as to why there are still houses being bombed and Palestinians still evacuating to – Rafah? But that place is still bombed by the offenders because – they want to? Or is it another reason to find Hamas hiding among civilians?

This goes to show that war and genocide in modern times are more complex than what we know based on what we read in books or seen in the movies. But we do know that there are millions of people suffering from the effects of ‘self-defence’ – because a country with great international power decides not to use it SEBAB BOLEH.

Imagine the power of Dajal if you believe the Z now

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One would think that the Americans are the saviour of the world. That is how it is played out in espionage movies or the Marvels. A long time ago, I asked my husband, “What did the Russians feel when they are always the bad guys in movies?” He said, they just laughed. He was a student in Volgograd at the time. Well.. thank god the Russians have humour in them. If Malaysians were painted as villains in any movie, you’d have Bawang Rangers crashing down social media in one day. The same goes for the Indonesians.

Perhaps the ultimate villain is the United States after all. They knew they had the power of Veto and were comfortable using it to overrule the call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Even the ‘villains’ from Russia or North Korea, if we are to base their characters on movies, know that there is a limit to atrocities especially when they are waged against children. The United States doesn’t.

There was a video circulating about how a Zionist preacher was saying that the kids must be killed. It is a now-or-never situation because 10 years later, the kids will grow up and come after them. This is the same thing that Firaun did in his time, and it was a story told in the Quran when he ordered that all the babies in his kingdom be killed because there was a premonition that one day a saviour would be born from a particular tribe. With Allah’s will, one baby survived and was even raised in Firaun’s own home. He was Musa (Moses).

This story is a consolation to the souls that cry for the lives of the children who were massacred in this Palestinian war. No matter how great a human being thinks he is, there is always Allah, a divine entity that will unleash His power when the time comes. Allah could instruct mosquitos to kill the Namrud army – showcasing there is no limit to what divine intervention can do and that UN is useless.

I stand with Palestine

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For outsiders to support Israel -it is mostly because they haven’t understood the whole situation. They will gain a better understanding of that with time – if Palestinians still exist on the face of the earth. I wasn’t supporting Israel but it still took me a while to understand the apartheidism and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. It was never a crisis in the first place. It was pure discrimination and what is openly described as an ‘open-air’ prison.

The Gaza Strip is a very small area, to begin with. It is smaller than the state of Melaka. Narrowing it down, it is half the size of Jasin district. It is that small. And yet, the Israelis are destroying the place with more ammo than what the US has dropped onto Afghanistan before. The attack was carried out in the name of self-defence against Hamas and yet the armed forces have violated the ‘rules of war’. Killing journalists, cutting out humanitarian aid and bombing hospitals are atrocious acts of ‘self-defence’.

Pro-Israeli media highlighted what happened on the day Hamas attacked yet never went beyond that day to show the rising numbers of Palestinians killed afterwards. If the Palestinians and foreign humanitarian aides did not share their plight on social media – we would never have known that their resources were limited and rationed to the minimum. Kita takde air 6 jam pun dah mengamuk. Internet lambat pun dah susah hati.

Some refused to believe that this was apartheid and ethnic cleansing. Unfortunately, it is and all that the UN can do right now is to make statements and ‘call on the international community to urgently mediate a ceasefire between warring Hamas and Israeli occupation forces’. Malaysia ni negara kecik, duit tak banyak – kuasa besar dunia buat apa? tengok je?

Beras – I buy

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I buy big bulk groceries every month. The big buys would be the carbs, protein and snacks. I would occasionally run to the Family Store to replenish my fruits, vegetables and bread. Even then, the bill still totals at least RM100 on those small runs. This is minus the toothpaste, shower foams, laundry detergents or dishwashing soap.

Lately, there has been a lot of bad press about politicians trying to undermine the severity of inflation towards the price of food. Although I am fortunate that I can still afford to have food on my table – I still feel that the comments they make are very insensitive towards people who are struggling and trying to provide for themselves and their families.

There was a viral tiktok video circulating about YB Fuziah Salleh buying her groceries for less than RM200 and kind of dissing people who said they need to spend more for their household. Although she tried to defend herself saying that it was an old video, it was still a bad video on her part. She shouldn’t even consider creating such content in the first place. I mean, what is she trying to prove? Eating one piece of chicken at a time to last over the whole month. That the ‘poor’ tak boleh makan sedap sikit? Mesti confine themselves to yang basic sahaja? The choice of food the B40 and M40 can make – is already hard enough with the income they earn. Why diss them?

Things are becoming worse nowadays due to the fact that the price of beras is higher. I buy the beras for my home. So far I still have half of the Tupperware container left – so I haven’t actually bought new beras with the current price. But I still empathize with other people who are struggling to buy our local produced rice – which seems to have limited supply nowadays. Macam.. sampai macam ni ke kar-tel nak buat perangai? Simpan stock? Corruption celah mana plak ni?

Healthy choices cost more?

In Malaysia, we have this food pyramid that is promoting the public to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into their diet. Although we have a lot of easily available tropical fruits in the country – it is somehow viewed as the less important part of their diet. That it is just a dessert or a garnish to the main dish.

If say I buy a meal at Nandos. The quarter chicken is the main dish and the rice, pasta, vege and fruit salad are described as side dishes. This is something I noticed when Westerners (on Instagram) describe their meals. Honestly, it is fine. It helps you to understand why some people can make good food choices. Having said that, to take rice as the main dish is also fine. Nowadays, people are very interested in the Korean food culture and a good example we can take from them is that – the rice comes in a small bowl and they have lots of side dishes that come with it. It seems that they have lots of vegetables on board, fermented or steamed. Of course, they also love their beef and chicken alongside their alcohol.

During my grocery run, the staple vegetables are lettuce, mushrooms, pak choy, mini cucumber and carrots. This is a must for every trip. However, I will alternate the other vegetables. For example, in one week I would have brinjals, broccoli, capsicum and spinach. And then on another trip I might have cauliflower, lady’s fingers, sweet peas and long beans. Something like that.

For fruits, I will almost always have seedless grapes but of a particular brand. There was Shining Muscat the other week but I have yet to see another appearance recently. Strawberries are a must even though it is a small packet because my daughter loves them. Also bananas. I would get Kiwi and blueberries too if they are on sale. Watermelons are picked up occasionally together with dragon fruit and apples. The family would not eat them unless the fruits were sliced up properly. When the mangoes are in season, I will get them too.

I drink a lot of milk as well. As in me as a grown-up. My kids have them in their cereal. I take them with coffee or just like that. So I would definitely get the big Farm Fresh milk bottle on my trips and buy the carton ones from other brands to drink because the fresh milk will run out before my next grocery trip.

I rarely get carbonated drinks but I do get yoghurt drinks or fruit juices. In this home, I try to encourage my children to have plain water most of the time. I’d be getting them cute tumblers or cups for them to have their drinks.

So, do healthy food choices cost more? It depends on how many mouths you need to feed given the money you have. It is cheaper and more fulfilling to have more rice on board if say the family is only eating one main meal a day. Therefore, they would think twice about spending their money on fruits and vegetables that could be used for other food choices instead.

To me, it still contributes to the cost of the grocery run. It would be great to see more Malaysian families consume their fruit and vegetables wholeheartedly like they have their carbs. Tapi tuhlah – bab beras pun tak settle lagi.