COMMENT | Growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, there are a few things I remember when going to school back then.

I remember being told by teachers how great the government was and as Malaysians, we were lucky to be born in this country.

“Kita bertuah lahir di Malaysia. Semua pun ada dan kita ada pemimpin yang berani tegur kuasa besar.” (We’re lucky to be born in Malaysia. We have everything needed and even have a leader who dares to question big powers) – these were among the things told to us.

And when we entered the upper secondary level, the school textbooks were filled with policies from the “great leader” back then, such as the Look East Policy and Vision 2020.

But even as a primary school pupil who knew nuts about politics and governance, there was one particular minister I detested. Why? It’s because that imbecile of an education minister decided to start the new school sessions in December of every year....