You cheat, I cheat, we all cheat!!

And so the story begins...

Where does this all start?? Who's to blame? I mean, there's GOT to be SOMEONE to blame, no?

Time and time again this question has been posed and time and time again we arrive at the same conclusion - It's all individual. It's all up to the choices we make and our willingness to suffer the consequences.

Before I begin, I'm very well aware of the fear many have that disclosure of the details of what goes on here might well lead to the derecognition of MMA.

HOWEVER, do note that MMA is still one of the better medical schools out there with a wealth of knowledge to depart to those who are willing to reap the benefits. Derecognizing MMA would be pointless if Malaysia is going to continuously churn out students who lack drive, ambition, direction and substance.

Before I digress, I should at least try (from my own perspective) to make sense out of this cheating culture.

Note that not all start out with cheating. Many arrive in Moscow full of hopes and dreams of grandure. Moscow unfortunately, is a cold, unforgiving place for the ignorant and naive. I would have to admit to being just that when I first arrived - ignorant and naive. But that's a story for another day.

In the initial few months, the idea of cheating and being able to get away with it slowly diffuses amongst these fresh faces. And although many still stand by their principles, the more neutral naturally opt for the easy way out - TO CHEAT. And so we have an estimate ratio of
anti-cheaters : neutral ones : cheaters - 3 : 4 : 3

As months go by, more and more realize that rules here are lax and life in general becomes easier if one were to just do what almost everyone else is doing anyways - CHEAT! Mind you, this process only takes a few months to destroy what most Malaysian schools have spent years trying to instill - that cheating is intolerable and would bring immediate suspension.

Naturally the neutral ones are the first to go. However, by the time you hit 3rd or 4th year, 90% would have been "converted" to the world of cheating and most would have mastered the art of cheating as well as the art of "intelligent bullshitting". Needless to say, everyone eventually passes.

Of course, there are a number of determined teachers out there who go all out to try and curb this warped culture. But as the years go by and faced with the steadily increasing number of students whose sole purpose in class are to cheat off each other... It's no wonder that they eventually give up and reap the benefits. Note that if a student is unable to complete certain subjects within their current semester(meaning unable to sit for the finals), he is given a grace period of another semester to complete these subjects - on a basis that he must PAY TO RE-SIT these colloqs. So for these few subjects at least - the students here are bound to know some if not most of the syllabus.

In situations like these - these teachers are labelled corrupt, biased and even troublesome. Such is the mentality. Instead of preparing for exams using textbooks, students rely 100% on seniors' notes - claiming ignorance simply because what was asked was not in the notes.

How la, Malaysia?

Of course... again- not all are like that. There are a small minority who work hard to get where they are. I would go so far as to say that the amount of knowledge between these few students could possibly equal the amount of knowledge present in the other 90% who - after so many years have become complacent and care-free.