I am concerned with some of the statements in your speech for the following reasons.

1. This scheme does not appear to differentiate between Science and Engineering. In universities, Engineering faculties and Science faculties are different because these are very different disciplines with different aims and work culture; They feed off each other, but are different by necessity. If Penang is to have a ‘Penang Science Council’ that is has significant focus on and is predominantly supported by people from the engineering industry, then where does that leave science in Penang? This encourages a grave misunderstanding of science and is *not* helpful for our youths.

2. Comparison of percentages of students taking up science in the 3 schools cited is unhelpful. 1stly, anyone who knows Chung Ling will know that students in that school really have *no option* but to choose science or leave that school if they want to genuinely pursue “Arts” (inverted commas for a reason). 2nd and IMPORTANTLY, it is a step BACKWARDS for the State to any way imply that students *should* choose science. DAP tries to portray itself as forward thinking. Hence, it must realise that Arts has value too and it is NOT RIGHT for Malaysian students to blindly choose science subjects. A developed society where its people are best utilised is one that is able to match it’s people’s skills to their aptitude. Students who are suited for arts subjects should not feel pressured to study science.

3. The best scientists (I don’t mean engineers) are ones who have a variety of interests. You’ll find that many scientists are intelligent and able to comment on a variety of topics even outside of science. Using different parts of their brain and being able to see and analyse observations from different angles make the best scientists and (engineering) innovators. This means that if the State wants to encourage science and innovation, it must provide a *diversity* of stimulation (including arts, cultural, social & humanities) and *not* just narrowly in the direct field of science or engineering-related activities organised by industry players.

Even though Penang currently houses many engineering companies, we are not generally viewed as the place where innovation and cutting-edge design occurs. We are merely the place between cheap Chinese labour and American/Japanese/European innovation. The companies only need us to be good enough to maintain, work with and perhaps improve technology developed in their own country. As China catches up and Malaysia’s education fails us, we will lose our niche. We must aim higher! We can be the ones who innovate! But to do that, we must move beyond our primitive understanding of science & research. Even some of the people who are currently within the engineering industry in Penang were trained and molded to fulfill a primitive purpose.

I laud your government’s initiative to do something about the lull in Penang, but caution that doing things the old-fashioned way doesn’t cut it anymore. Your speech doesn’t convey that Penang is going to be dynamic, interesting, with things happening at every corner every day! THAT is what we need to make us innovative. I hope the Penang Science Council is of the calibre necessary to spark Penang.

Unless it is a Penang Engineering Council…

With warm regards,
Soo Huey
A molecular biologist who was one of <10% of science students in CPT… and my science was better than my college mates from Chung Ling, so percentages you quote don't matter!