Monday, May 18, 2009

VI Speech Day - 1958

It was during his speech at VI's Speech Day in 1958, the Hon. Minister of Education, Inche Khir Johari declared that all school children are to wear a uniform set of school uniforms.
The practice at that time was each and every school had their own uniform. With the standardised uniform, a student from one school is differentiated from another by the school badge that is worn on the uniform. So newsworthy were the Minister's proposals that it became the front page story in the following day's Malay Mail.

Other than making that announcement, the Minister also made a speech on racial unity; he said "...Over and above the ties of locality and race there are bonds of national unity, and transcending the loyalty of one's community or nation there is a higher loyalty to the entire human race. There is no ready made road towards this; we all have to unite to build that road. I am a Malay - born a Malay. I had no choice to be otherwise when I was born! But now I am a Malayan citizen - a citizen of a free and independent Malaya just like any one of you here. In other words, I am a Malay by accident but a Malayan by choice. You may be of Chinese or Indian or Eurasian origin but I want every one of you to consider yourself first and foremost a Malayan. It is only through having that attitude of mind that we can resolve our differences and prejudices and work solidly for the good of the country..."

He's right and still is right.


source: The Big School, A V.I. Odyssey by Chung Chee Min

1 comment:

  1. He's right! Tapi awak pakai seluar putih dulu. Apa niii, tak uniform laaa hahaha, sorry Abang, saya balik teros from work, cari reading material and the focus tonight is youuu, tak buat benda lain dah, dinner pon kat rumah, makan sandwich telur, tu yang banyak mulut tu. Peace! One nation One race.

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