救救华教运动：推翻破坏者
我国华教运动之“族魂”——已故林连玉先生，有一句广为华社流传的语录：“对付破坏，最好的答复就是建设”。20世纪50年代、60年代，马来西亚华教运动一直面对巫统联盟接连不断的压制与破坏。为了坚持维护华文教育的原则，林连玉先生付出了惨痛的代价，结果公民权被褫夺，并吊销教师注册准证。随后，被称为“独中统考”之父、独中复兴运动领航者的已故林晃昇先生, 点燃了华教的希望，开创了民族教育的里程碑，积极领导华社争取创办一所独立大学，完善我国母语教育的体系。为了创办独立大学，林老总领导董教总与政府打官司。最终，董教总败诉。可是，林老总的心从来没有败下阵来。他说：“……（独大）必须作为我们长期奋斗的目标，因为事关民族与公民的基本权益，是不容妥协的。”80年代及90年代，林老总的领导魄力，充分展现在推动马来西亚的民权运动上，成为华教史上卓越的领导者之一。“维护华教，发展母语教育；伸张人权，争取平等地位”，更是林老总的座右铭。林老总从未背弃其维护华教的原则，绝不妥协于政治的压力。最后，他不仅失去了无数的商业机会，在1987年的茅草行动中，更是受尽扣留之折磨，付出了沉痛的代价。
值得后人敬仰的领导人，如已故林连玉和林晃昇，坚守捍卫母语教育的立场，从未放弃维护华教的原则。他们卓越的领导风范，表里如一，说到做到。他们具备宏观的愿景、崇高的理想，坚持发展母语教育，完善我国华文教育的体系。像林晃昇维护华教的坚持，确实能启发人心，带给全体华社莫大的信心。在华教运动中，他兼容具备，融入智慧与专长，处处包容、处处接纳奉献华教的每一个人。透过两线制的政治制度，林老总对独立大学的愿景，还有捍卫人权的信念，如此坚定不移。
他们曾经在这片民族教育的土地，默默耕耘、流着正气，跨过华教的流水，创造了壮丽的历史篇章。。。。。。
新纪元学院：建设、建设、再建设！
回首十年路，我们努力奋斗，破石扎根，坚持维护办学理念，新纪元学院终于有了今日的规模。
我们的财务，逐渐转亏为盈，现在我们的累积盈余超过马币一百万。2007年，我们顺利获得ISO 9001 品质管理的认证，建立了国际化的管理制度。从1998年创校的148位学生、3个科系, 到今年，全院学生总人数创下历届之冠，多达1700人，并创办了8个科系 。我们与超过80个东西方国家的大学缔结为姐妹校，建立学术联系，新纪元学院开始逐步走向全世界。学术表现优秀的毕业生，逐渐在国际舞台上，塑造新纪元教育的品牌。他们的成就，总是让我们引以为荣。更多毕业生，在修完学士学位后继续念硕士和博士课程。
最为可贵的是，我们不断努力，建立了一支优秀、肩负使命感又团结一致的教职员团队。十年建设的成果，绝对是每一位新纪元学院教职员共享的荣誉。我衷心感谢他们，这些年来，他们无私奉献，默默献身华教，携手建设十年的办学成果。十年来，我们经历了各种酸甜苦辣的过程，政府当局施加给我们的教育障碍，不仅局限于MQA的课程认证， 2001年丰隆集团准备为学院雪邦新校园进行推介礼，也在压力下被迫取消。
破坏、破坏、再破坏！近两年来, 令人震惊的是，我们亲眼目睹新纪元学院的破坏，并非毁于外界势力，而是毁于自家人的内部斗争。万万预料不到，这股破坏力，竟然来自董教总领袖 ! 2006年，董总主席叶新田善用黑箱手段，一手策划莫黑行动，崭除前董总首席行政主任莫泰熙先生。这些黑箱过程，未来将一一记载在老莫的回忆录。而我也一样，准备出版回忆录，记载着叶主席崭除我的卑鄙手段。
莫黑行动的背后，延伸更严重的后果。对华教充满理想、背负使命感又能干的年轻教育工作者，成群结队离开董总。这批人才，是莫生精心栽培成为未来华教运动的接班人啊！叶主席惯用分而治之的领导模式，我们不难察觉，他一再以野蛮粗鲁的领导作风，企图干涉CEO的工作范围，以达致其最终目标——斩除莫泰熙，逐步使董总秘书处的组织运作变质。在林晃昇领导的华教运动，董总秘书处发挥着无限的生命力、强大的力量，也象征着整个华社的良知、正义。如今，叶新田一再摧毁华教全体参与的珍贵精神、超越政党的独立性，实为巫统、国阵政府献力不少。
2008年爆发的新纪元学院风波，是由叶新田及其朋党精心布局的一场骗局 。第二阶段的莫黑行动，可称为“伐柯行动”，叶主席费尽心机百般侮辱，只为斩除柯嘉逊。他们提出“令人不安”的财务状况，纯粹有意引起华社的怀疑。叫人感到惊讶的是，一些华社 ，包括所谓的进步分子，也不慎掉入未经证实又劣等的诡计中! 如此不负责任的卑鄙行为，我将准备起诉他们诽谤，到时叶新田及其朋党势必付出法律上的代价。
巫统与国阵政府几十年来都无法做到的斩除行动，叶主席成功实现他们的心愿——斩除莫泰熙、柯嘉逊参与华教运动。新纪元学院正面临董总秘书处的危机，叶新田成功赶走具备华教使命感、能干的年轻人。
新纪元学院的摧毁行动已经开始！柯嘉逊离开后，新纪元学院是否会变质？叶主席与其朋党已经对学院做出无法弥补的伤害，除了企图制造令人不安的学院管理制度，也通过无数的破坏行动，进一步摧毁学院的办学理念与原则。在我还未离开前，这一切已经明目张胆地展开：
1. 新纪元学院风波于6月14日爆发，起因于叶主席要求向来列席理事会的行政与学术主任全体退席，不得与会。这严重侵犯学院创校以来维护的办学原则——校园民主，也违背华教运动全体参与的精神。从今以后，主任不能参与理事会，新纪元学院怎样吸引人才？
2．叶新田身为理事会主席，多次藐视新纪元学院理事会。自8月以来，他无意召开理事会，尽管我们要求召开紧急理事会，通过学院提呈的议程。理事会是唯一受高教部承认的组织，然而他们不听取沈慕羽呼吁的“维持现状”，未经理事会的程序讨论却聘请新院长，做法极不透明。
3.尽管如此，叶主席已经剥夺院方签署支票的权力。过去，董事部及院方联合签署支票的制度，兼备监督与专业的设想。现在，改为仅由董事部代表签署支票。这项改变将导致支票签发失去监督机制，而由非全职及专业人员出任的董事部代表或需经提点才可掌握情况。我们无法检视董事，无法达到制衡的作用。叶主席严重破坏了自1998年创校以来实践的民主制度。如今，透明度与问责制已经荡然无存。三年前，叶主席企图挪用学院的赞助人基金，作为母公司董教总教育中心的用途，惟遭我严厉阻止。
4.叶主席已经严重侵犯学院的自主权，超越院长作为首席执行员的权限。他直接下达指令，书面要求一名主任解释，为何擅自传发院方文告给各媒体 。叶主席已开始干预学院的日常运作，就如现在的董总。
5．叶主席和其朋党，在华教运动中, 第一次妥协于我们维护的超越政治的珍贵原则。第一步，他们竟然允许马华，透过高教部副部长介入新纪元学院风波，他们竟然表示公开欢迎政府绝对有干涉校园的权力。相信这是破天荒的第一次，作为董总领航人，竟求助于一路来与董总对立的政党，来干涉华教运动内部发生的问题。他还聘请具有马华背景的律师，起诉吴建成校长。蔡维衍，被委任为董教总教育中心高等教育咨询团的成员，作为叶主席的辩护士，竟然也是马华党员。
叶主席至今未向华社清楚交代雪邦校园计划！在叶主席的领导下，华教运动已经妥协于政治，失去超越政治的独立性 。3月8日的全国大选前, 叶主席与其他董教总领袖签署了雪邦计划的备忘录。签约仪式是由马华高层、前雪州州务大臣基尔与丰隆集团郭令灿精心安排。这份备忘录，规定雪邦校地作为新纪元校园的合约将在三个月内正式签署。显然，叶主席及其他董教总领袖联合国阵政府，企图将华裔选票转向国阵，希望在2008年3月的全国大选脱颖而出。
近一年，叶主席仍然没有向华社负责，清楚交代雪邦计划的进展。我们揭发了雪邦合约中不合理的条文。同时，我们也建议以更具实际性的城市校园，作为雪邦计划的替代方案。这里，确实可以提升发展的可行性，也加强社区的参与性，同时只需要华社小小的投资 。叶主席必须向华社解释，为何不愿放弃雪邦校园计划？这项计划中，是否隐藏不可告人的个人议程?
救救华教运动：推翻破坏者
身为董总主席的叶新田，三年领导最大的成果就是：成功崭除前董总首席行政主任莫泰熙及新纪元学院院长柯嘉逊。在他的身上，无法体现华教领袖应有的涵养与素质。他对独中工委会及新纪元学院造成的连串破坏，绝对是华社所不能容忍、不能原谅的千古罪人。
2009年，让我们开展“救救华教运动”的实际行动！我们需用具有愿景、有原则、不妥协于政治、并且兼容具备对待每一个奉献华教的领袖。在华教运动中，腐败的领袖及破坏者，必须被推翻，必须下台，向全体华社负责。
因此, 华社绝对需要重新思考，叶新田上任三年以来，做出了多少不名誉的行动!马来西亚的华社是否允许董教总领袖这些不名誉的行为？当华总“新纪元事件委员会”发表他们的调查报告后，这些董教总领袖不仅要道歉，同时也必须为他们误导华社而辞职。叶新田和他的朋党们的所作所为，有如美国尼克逊总统的水门事件丑闻一样，历史将会给予公正的裁判。难怪，尊孔校长吴建成直称叶新田为“华教败家子”, 意思是指叶主席已经背叛华教。
Save the Chinese Education Movement –Topple the Saboteurs!Lim Lian Geok, acknowledged as the soul of Malaysian Chinese education, had a well-known rallying cry to the community which was: “The best antidote to sabotage is to construct!” Throughout the fifties and sixties, Malaysian Chinese education faced incessant sabotage from the UMNO-led coalition and Lim Lian Geok paid the price of adhering to his principles by losing his teaching permit and even his citizenship. Later, Lim Fong Seng, the father of the Unified Examination Certificate and leader of the Independent Chinese Secondary Schools Movement, ignited the campaign to construct Merdeka University. In the eighties and nineties Lim was leader of the Malaysian Chinese Civil Rights movement and he too paid a high price for holding firmly to his principles, by losing business opportunities and suffering detention under Operation Lalang in 1987.
Inspiring leaders such as Lim Lian Geok and Lim Fong Seng held firm to their principles. And they stood out because they walked their talk! They had a vision of upholding and developing mother tongue education into a complete and excellent educational system in the country. Leaders such as Lim Fong Seng inspired confidence among all sections of the community. Above all, he welcomed intellectuals and professionals into the movement on an inclusive basis. His vision for a Merdeka University and his defence of our civil rights through a two-front political system was unflinching.
New Era College: Construct Construct and Reconstruct!
In the last ten years, we have struggled hard against sabotage and obstacles to uphold these same principles and construct New Era College to its present stage of development. Financially, we are in the strongest position we have ever been with more than RM1 million in accumulated profits. We attained ISO 9001 certification in 2007 through our inspired quality management system. From 148 students and 3 departments in 1998, we have reached a total student population of 1700 and 8 departments today. We have more than 80 highly-ranked universities in East and West as our international partners. Our graduates have done us proud in these foreign universities and many are pursuing postgraduate studies.
Most precious of all, we have built a wonderful, committed and united staff team through this effort. The glory of the last ten years goes to each and every member of staff in this college. I thank them for their dedication, selfless sacrifices and making this mission a success in these 10 years. We have been through thick and thin – the fund raising campaigns, the obstacles from the authorities not just in the LAN approval of our courses but in the suppression of the launching of the Sepang campus by the authorities in 2001.
Sabotage, Sabotage and More Sabotage!Shockingly, in the last two years, we have witnessed sabotage from the most unexpected source – the Dong Jiao Zong leadership itself! We have watched the black operation (莫黑行动) against the former CEO of the Dong Zong secretariat, Mr Bock Tai Hee by the Dong Zong chairman, Yap Sin Tian in 2006. This will be revealed in Mr Bock’s memoirs, as well as in mine, soon to be published.
The more serious consequence of this black operation was the departure, in droves, of the most committed, talented young educationists who had been groomed by Bock to be the future leaders of this movement. There we have observed Yap’s coarse methods of using divide-and-rule and interfering in the CEO’s work to meet his ultimate objective of getting rid of Bock and emasculating the whole Dong Zong secretariat. While the secretariat under Lim Fong Seng was the pulse, the strength and conscience of the whole Malaysian Chinese community, Yap Sin Tian has today done a service to UMNO and the Barisan Nasional by destroying the spirit and independence of the Chinese education movement.
This whole “New Era controversy” of 2008 has been an elaborate confidence trick (骗局) carried off by Yap Sin Tian and his associates in his second black operation – to get rid of Kua (“伐柯行动”). Their method was simple – to create doubts on the financial situation of the college (财务状况令人不安). The marvel of it is that there are some in the community and even so-called progressives who have fallen for his unproven and cheap trick! For this irresponsible and costly act, Yap and his cohorts will have to pay the price in court since I will be suing them for defamation!
History will judge this on the same scale as the dirty tricks of Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal after which he was impeached. Can the Malaysian Chinese community allow this kind of immoral act be undertaken by leaders of the Chinese education movement? After the Chinese Associations’ Committee of Enquiry into the New Era College controversy reports their findings, these Dong Jiao Zong leaders must not only apologise but also resign for misleading the community throughout the controversy.
Thus, the achievements of Yap Sin Tian these three years have been considerable! He has succeeded in doing what UMNO and the BN have failed to do in the last three decades, namely, to get rid of Bock and Kua from the Chinese education movement. As at the Dong Zong secretariat, Yap has also succeeded in driving away the most committed and talented activists from New Era College. The new enrolment for 2009 has dropped drastically and donors have withdrawn their aid to the college. The most important withdrawal is the RM12 million indoor stadium and classrooms at the existing basketball/tennis courts. That is why Wu Jiancheng, the Confucian school headmaster has called him “Bai Jiazi”, meaning he has sold off the family jewels!
The Destruction of New Era Has Already BegunWill New Era College change when Kua goes? Through their sabotage in casting doubt on the management of the college, Yap and his cronies have already done irreparable harm to the college. They have further destroyed the principles of the college even before Kua has gone:
1.The whole New Era controversy exploded because Yap ordered our Heads of Departments out of the June 14th meeting of the Board of Governors. This was a breach of the democratic practice of not only the college but also the whole Chinese education movement!
2.Yap, in his role as chairman of the Board of Directors, has shown contempt for the Board of Governors by failing to schedule any meetings since August 2008, despite the need to approve urgent college agenda. Even though the Board of Governors is the only college body recognized as accountable by the Higher Education Ministry and therefore could have easily obtained an injunction against the directors, they chose not to, in deference to Mr Sim Mow Yu’s appeal.
3.Yap has nonetheless, now taken away the checks and balance from the college governors by concentrating the power to sign cheques in the hands of the directors of the parent company. He has destroyed a democratic practice in the college first established in 1998. There is now no transparency and accountability. Three years ago, Kua prevented Yap from using the Endowment Fund of the college for the purposes of the parent company, Dong Jiao Zong Higher Learning Centre Bhd.
4.Yap has violated the autonomy of the campus by overriding the CEO of the college and demanding a head of department to “show cause” as to why he sent an email to the press. As in Dong Zong, Yap has interfered in the running of the college.
5.Yap and his cronies have, for the first time in the history of the Chinese Education Movement, compromised its cherished political independence, through their actions regarding the college. First they allowed the MCA, through the Deputy Minister of Higher Education, to intervene in the New Era controversy with various offers to Kua and his Heads of Department, saying that the government has the right to intervene. The lawyer he has employed to sue Wu Jiancheng is an MCA lawyer. His apologist in the parent company’s Higher Education Committee is Cai Weiyan, another MCA man. But their historic compromise was seen in their joint caper with the MCA leaders and the UMNO Chief Minister of Selangor, Khir Toyo just before the March 8 general elections.
Yap Has Yet to Account to the Chinese Community on the Sepang project!Under his leadership, the Chinese education movement has compromised its political independence. Just before the March 8 general elections, Yap and the other Dong Jiao Zong leaders signed an MOU on the Sepang project. It was arranged by the top MCA leaders with the presence of the then Selangor MB and the boss of Hong Leong, Quek Leng Chan. This MOU stipulated that the contract on the Sepang land for the New Era campus would be signed within three months. It was obviously an attempt by the Barisan Nasional with the cooption of Yap and the other Dong Jiao Zong leaders to try to swing the Chinese votes to the BN during the March 2008 general elections.
It is now nearly a year and Yap has still not accounted to the Chinese community on the Sepang project. We have exposed the unreasonable conditions in the Sepang contract.
We have put forward a more practical “City Campus” project which Yap has refused to discuss. Our development plan around Kajang is popular among stakeholders as it increases our accessibility, deepens our community involvement and requires a lighter investment from the Chinese community. Yap must explain why he does not want to discard the Sepang project. Does he have any personal interest in this project?
Save the Chinese Education Movement - Topple the Saboteurs!
All that Yap can show for his three years as Dong Zong chairman is his successful eviction of Bock and Kua from the secretariats of Dong Zong and New Era College. He has failed to exhibit the qualities of a Chinese education movement leader. His sabotage of Duzhong and New Era College is unforgivable and thus his days as Dong Zong leader are numbered.
2009 sees the beginning of a movement to “Save the Chinese Education Movement”. We want leaders who are visionary, principled, who cannot be compromised by the ruling coalition, and who have an inclusive attitude to all who can contribute to the movement. Corrupt leaders and saboteurs of the movement must be toppled and be held to account!
