This day is a day of great feasting.
M-Suites Hotel in Johor Baru invited us over for a preview of their Ramadan promotion. That was where I had a taste of the bottled carbonated drink, which they say is only available in the kampung (rural areas). The promotion also offers a variety of local Johor dishes.
In the evening, it was dining at the Din BBQ Station in Taman Nusa Bestari. Love the BBQ lamb and love the company.
Apart from feasting, I also met up with a veteran politician who shared with me his frustration.
He told me he can only use the name of an Umno community leader to get things done now. No longer can he utter the party’s name, like before, since MCA has lost its glory.
“The sad thing is, I know some members also voted for the Opposition, but what can I do? It’s a democratic country.
“It really, really is very frustrating for me as I want to serve, but the people did not empower the party.”
The veteran who has been with MCA for some 40 years now said he is glad BN was able to retain power.
“Why are there so many investors, namely from China, coming in if there’s no economic growth? On the other hand, if the Opposition keeps organising rallies, that would prompt investors to think twice about investing.”
But the veteran hopes there will be some changes in the education system.
“I have concerned parents coming to me saying that they have requested the schools (which their children attend) for Maths and Science to be taught in English. But the reply from the schools was that, there are no teachers to teach the two subjects in English, and if the parents insisted, then the student would need to go to another school.
“For me, I think it is ok to send children to vernacular schools but only until primary education. After that, the child should attend a national school so that there could be integration. It is important to be able to write and converse in the national language.
“However, it is also important for Science and Maths to be taught in English, and for students to have an option to learn Mandarin as a third language in national schools,” he said.
A Green Bee In The Rain 雨中的绿蜂 