The launch of I-TR1M (Interactive-Tuisyen Rakyat 1Malaysia) which was done by the Prime Minister at Seri Perdana on June 28 is expected to benefit more than 10,000 SPM, PMR and UPSR students among families with low income earnings.
It is a very noble program where it does not have any political intention which was implemented by the federal government to assist students who come from low income families in Selangor.
Even then, it is still used as political issue by Pakatan Rakyat Selangor, who also implemented the Program Tuisyen Rakyat Selangor (PTRS) for SPM candidates in the state since 2009.
Education Exco of the state, YB Dr. Halimah Ali then described 1-TR1M as a copy of PTRS.
Halimah was quoted saying,”They like to copy but we are fine with the fact that our methods are used and made as example. It is okay if they want to copy us. We are happy that even the program would really benefit BN.”
Writer cannot deny the fact that I-TR1M and PTRS are similar because both of them are tuition programs. The same thing goes when Anwar promised that he would reduce the price of fuel as soon as he takes over the federal government. Even that would be a copy of the idea which came from BN which was established by Tun Dr. Mahathir when he first began the PM in 1981.
But they never really mentioned that part, copying BN. Instead, they went all over the place shouting that we copied their measures.
We can even say that all of the promises which are made by the opposition are copies from the government which are used to gain rakyat’s attention. For example, when the government provides subsidies, they want to give free treatments, we provide loads of subsidies, they want to provide even more, but those are all empty promises.
Going back to I-TR1M.
Even though the objective of the programs are just about the same, but I-TR1M is more comprehensive to be compared to PTRS. PTRS only provides free tuition for SPM students. And the fact that the program could only take 100 students for each DUN, and that it is only opened to students from low income families and average academic performance.
Students who are a bit slow and those who are smart are left behind. In short, the program is not that open.
That is why there is no surprise that since 2009, not more than 10,000 have joined the program. The numbers which writer gain from Selangor government’s website, Selangorkini which had no further details on the numbers. Believe me, if the analysis is really transparent, the numbers should be a lot lower than that.
On the other hand, I-TR1M is opened to all candidates who are about to face the three main exams, and that they should be from low income families. It is not limited to average students like what was required by PTRS.
Besides that, the filtering process of students performance are also more detailed. Even the teachers were confirmed by the Education Ministry that they are qualified to teach all the subjects which are offered under the program.
All of these puts I-TR1M in its own class. What is certain, the program is 300 percent better than PTRS which only offers classes for SPM candidates.
However, I still fully support any programs which could benefit rakyat, even PTRS. The only problem is, they should not use such program to be politicized. If their intention is good, why compare?
