Got am SMS from a friend who heard that the Southern College University in Skudai, Johor Bahru had turned down Najib Razak during the PM's visit to Johor Bahru yesterday. Not true, I told the friend. Najib's event went smoothly. During the visit, he announced the setting up of a Chinese school in the Iskandar region. No Malaysian PM has done so much for Chinese education in the country as Najib has in a very short time, so why should the varsity reject his visit.
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But I double checked, all the same, and found that the rumors would have something to do with an article in Nanyang Siangpau published today. Read ith e r e. It's safe to conclude that more such talk would be spread until polling day on May 5. The fact is, Najib's the first PM to have visited the Southern U.
But another Prime Minister has an significant place in the history of the university's formation. He is none other than Tun Dr Mahathir Moahamad, whom the DAP is trying very hard today to paint as an anti-Chinese ex-Prime Minister. As history has it, nothing could be further from the truth ...
On the eve of Johor Bahru Parliamentary district by-election, Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir attended the joint Chinese New Year Celebration of Johor Bahru's Chinese societies. Dato’ Low Nam Hui, the Chairman of Persekutuan Tiong-hua Johor Bahru proposed to Dr. Mahathir for approving the application of setting up Foon Yew College and the proposal was taken into consideration; Read morehere.
[Despite BN losing that by-election in 1988, Dr Mahathir approved the setting up of the college, which was renamed Southern College and later Southern College University. It was set up in 1990 as the first non-profit private higher institute of learning in the country].
