The Pike Effect in Malaysian Education

 

Why We Read, Watch, and Stay Silent — Even When the Glass Barrier Is Gone

Recently, the popular podcast Keluar Sekejap (hosted by Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan) sparked an important discussion: In SPM 2025, more than 13,000 students achieved straight A's — a number that looks impressive on paper. Yet Malaysia's PISA scores continue to decline. The episode asked a pointed question: Is our education system truly producing excellence, or are we creating an illusion of success? Many of us watched or read about that episode (and similar critiques). We nod in agreement privately. We share the concern about "shut-down kids," rote learning, dyslexia being overlooked, and students who master exams but struggle with real-world application and critical thinking. But how many of us actually comment publicly on Facebook, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), or even in the comments section? Very few!

 

Here is the video link to Keluar sekejap: https://x.com/i/status/2040334125614383385

Lessons from Offering Help Without Charge

                                                         

I’ve discovered a paradox: when help is offered freely, many dismiss it; when a high fee is attached, people suddenly perceive value. Parents often post desperate pleas for guidance, yet when genuine, no‑strings‑attached support is extended, they hesitate or disappear.

"Truth vs. Consensus: A Battle Played Out in Tweets and AI Replies"

 

When Grok, Copilot, and Seidenberg Collide—What Happens to Literacy, Logic, and the Fight for Clarity?

Luqman Michel @luqmanmichel Oct 7 Tweeted

"The Fight for Visibility in a World That Rewards Noise"

In a recent Facebook post, I noted that Grok is evolving toward a genuine pursuit of truth. A friend replied, "I shall remain a skeptic." To explore this further, I turned to another AI—Bing's Copilot—and shared our ensuing conversation. The exchange underscored a sobering reality: It will likely be quite some time before AI achieves the sophistication to reliably distinguish objective truth from mere popular belief.

The Fight for Visibility in a World That Rewards Noise

In a recent Facebook post, I noted that Grok—Elon Musk’s AI—is evolving toward a genuine pursuit of truth. A friend replied, “I shall remain a skeptic.” That skepticism is not only warranted—it’s essential.

To explore this further, I turned to another AI: Bing’s Copilot. Our conversation underscored a sobering reality. Despite impressive capabilities, AI still struggles to distinguish objective truth from popular belief. It’s not just a technical limitation—it’s a philosophical one. AI systems are trained on consensus, not clarity. They reflect the noise, not the nuance.

Dictums (Part 1) (Diktum 1)

 

(Sila lihat di bawah untuk terjemahan Bahasa Melayu)

Carlo M. Cipolla's "The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity" offers thought-provoking insights into human behaviour and its impact on society. Here are 10 wonderful lessons derived from the essay.

My friend, Harold Rozario, posted the above on Facebook and commented, ‘Read numbers 7 and 9 again. Do you recognize it in your environment?’

Let’s look at the remaining 8 while I think a little more on 7 and 9. 

CCP education in peril (Part 1)

Education remains a priority of nations. The development of any society is based on its education system.

In my recent post, Maggie Chiang asked: ‘Is there a fundamental issue of Education?’

In my post about the above on Facebook, a friend said that China is too busy stealing and copying and that it has no time for its research and development.

I would agree with him. I have done research on the fundamental issue of education in China. Pinyin is taught wrongly not only in China but the Chinese have corrupted the teachers in Sabah too. I have reported this to authorities in China and they have not responded. LINK

Tones in Mandarin

 

At the onset, I want to say that I want to learn to speak Mandarin the way it is intended to be spoken. I want to learn to speak it with the correct tones.

Recently, I joined several groups on Facebook to share experiences learning Chinese.

In most groups, beginners and intermediate learners complain about tones being the most difficult to learn in Mandarin.

A teacher from Beijing teaching Pinyin wrongly.

Yan Yue (Blue Cat) is a teacher from Beijing, China. Her introduction on Facebook says she is a teacher who teaches the Chinese language.

Here is her Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093718062022

I was pleasantly surprised when I received a message on my Facebook messenger that stated:

Hi, I read your blog. What you said is correct. The Pinyin they teach is problematic. Seeing your blog, I plan to go to YouTube, to teach Chinese. I hope you can check. I think you are a very responsible person.  Nice to meet you.

I replied:

I would be happy to comment on your YouTube videos when they are uploaded. Nice to meet you too.

Don't Know Nothing 不知道人

This morning, 3.8.24, I saw a Face Book post with the name ‘Don’t know Nothing.’

The introduction on Face Book is as follows:

Intro

The true wisdom of the East: The mechanism of Heaven and Earth is to make people “not know”; it is called Nature. To make people know the unknown, it is also called Nature. The beauty of Nature is because of knowing, but more beauty lies in “not knowing”.

I then commented on one of his posts: 

Hanyu Pinyin and bopomofo

                                                     

This guy Yong Wen San, who commented on Quora, is a highly educated guy. I walked away from his questions on Quora simply because I did not want to embarrass him but he insists on continuing and I thought it best to answer him. I have high respect for him.

The problem for many of us is that we quite often wear blinkers and do not want to see different perspectives. (Different perspective is the motto for my blog which was suggested by one of my sons.)

More on Anuar Ahmad of University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)

                                                        

                                           

Recently I blogged on Dr. Anuar Ahmad of UKM and Puan Fadhlina Sidek stating that they do not respond to emails on how to reduce intervention. 

A Facebook member replied that it is harsh to put the blame solely on them as Dr. Anuar Ahmad is a researcher and Puan Fadhlina Sidek is only a minister. He said that it was the Education Ministry who implemented irrelevant curricula that is to be blamed.

Expert Book Reviewer - Shawna Pope-Jefferson

                                                         

A few days ago, a woman in a group on Facebook said she would get a copy of my book Teach Your Child to Read. She bought a Kindle copy and in less than 6 minutes was able to do a book review.

I asked her how she did the review in such a short time and she unfriended me on Facebook.

I would really like to know how some (not all) Americans can do a book review in less than 6 minutes.

I did some research on this woman and found that she is a Speech-Language Pathologist, and Literacy Specialist who believes that all kids who can’t read have a speech-language problem. 

Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)

On 13.9.18 I wrote to ACER on FaceBook the following. I wrote to them as their name indicates that they are Educational Researchers.

Reduce illiteracy 

Would any researcher here like to discuss why kids who fail to read in English are able to read in many other languages? I have taught more than 50 kids, many of whom were wrongly certified as dyslexic. I have found that all my students are in fact instructional casualties. Let us please discuss.

 The following is the response from ACER.