Macc Arrest Rm80 Million To Publish Just One Primary School Text Book By Ministry Of Education

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 Recall in this blog I have said many times (and I think I am the only Blog and also the only website highlighting this point) that there is a very large and powerful "book publishing lobby" (almost like the mafia)  which has a strong influence on the education policies of this country. They can influence what books are included in the school syllabuses. 
I have also said before that it is this 'book publishing lobby' which is strongly against the DLP (Dual Language Programs) aka the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English. 
Because of their own shortcomings and lack of expertise in the English language they prefer Malay language books and also Malay language religious books.
So I find the following news report in Free Malaysia Today most interesting. A former political secretary to a former Minister of Education has been arrested by the MACC over an RM80 million book publishing contract. 
EIGHTY MILLION RINGGIT JUST TO PUBLISH ONE PRIMARY SCHOOL TEXT BOOK !! That is a lot of money and that type of money can influence the decision making of many people. 
First here are THREE related news items (truncated) from Free Malaysia Today : 
News No. 1

 



former pol sec to former senior minister arrested by MACC suspicion of bribesfor approval of book printing project, RM80m through direct negotiations1st suspect former pol sec in his 20s, 2nd suspect is company owner late 50s.suspected to have colluded with former senior minister soliciting, accepting bribes in exchange for approving projectboth individuals arrested remanded for four days until Sept 26 
 News No. 2
 


MACC not ruled out summoning Radzi Jidin (ex Edu Minister)
to assist investigate RM80m J-Qaf book project
“MACC not ruled out calling in Radzi, but it will not be soon” Azam Baki told FMT.

Yesterday MACC arrested former pol sec to minister on RM80m bribe
bribe  in return for approval of book project through direct negotiations 
Radzi released statement denying he had approved direct negotiations alleged arrests ordered following his statements in Dewan Rakyat

Azam, said investigation ongoing before report by the PM's Dept
“case opened before department made the report,” he said.
 
 News No.3



Radzi Jidin denied connection to textbook printing contract
Radzi confirmed MACC arrested his former political secretary
he rejected allegations he accepted bribes for RM80m project
“I have never asked or received, any bribe or kickbacks ever,” he said
Radzi said the project involved textbooks for J-Qaf religious module.
The J-QAF module is used in primary schools for Islamic education My Comments :

Ok those are the three news reports by Free Malaysia Today. I have no comments on these news reports or any of the merits of the news reports.

But what I would like to point out is that NO ONE HAS DENIED that RM80 MILLION. That is quite an insane figure. 
This was only a PRIMARY SCHOOL TEXTBOOK. Not a secondary school textbook or university textbook.  
PRIMARY SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS are not thick or too complicated to print (for example with colour graphics and colour plates).
No information is provided on how many books were printed and hence the COST PER COPY of the book.
Even if one book cost RM10.00 to print, then RM80 MILLION can buy RM80,000,000 / RM10.00 = 800,000 COPIES !! There are about 2,740,000 primary school children in Malaysia.
I believe this RM80 MILLION AMOUNT - WHICH HAS NOT BEEN DENIED BY ANYONE - is grossly inflated.
Even if the contract was valued at RM15 MILLION or RM20 MILLION I believe that is still very high.
Even today you can print say 2,000 copies of a 200 page A5 size book (half A4 size) for about RM10 per copy. That is for 2000 copies, a small print run where the cost per copy is much higher.
But if you are printing 800,000 copies the printing costs will be much, much cheaper.  A PRIMARY SCHOOL TEXT BOOK will not be 200 pages thick. 
Back to my point which I have repeated many times in this Blog. The book publishing lobby has a strong influence on the education content (aka education policies) of this country. This has been going on for decades. It did not begin yesterday.

If this RM80 million figure (WHICH HAS NOT BEEN DENIED BY ANYONE) was indeed used to bribe influential people then it simply means that our ENTIRE EDUCATION POLICY can be determined by the book publishing lobby.  
That is the point I have been trying to get across.
Everything in this country is corrupted. That rice problem is also corrupted. Always the few, the elites get rich by illegally or unethically taking our money, public funds and/or taxpayers money. That is step 1.
Step 2 is because of all this corruption the people, ie you and me, pay a heavy price. Cost of living shoots up, our education system has gone to the dogs. It goes on and on.
I can only appeal to all my readers, to all our people and to the Malays especially PLEEEEEEASE WAKE UP.
NOT ONLY ARE THEY STEALING OUR MONEY BUT OUR FUTURE IS BEING DESTROYED. WAKE UP.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.
By Syed Akbar Ali 

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