Pittance allocated for vernacular schools, says DAP
By G. Vinod, Free Malaysia Today
PETALING JAYA: The government’s failure in addressing the vast discrepancy in funds for national and vernacular schools onlys shows that the 1Malaysia concept is just a cheap political slogan.
DAP’s vice chairman M Kulasegaran said despite Barisan Nasional’s electoral setback in 2008, it had not changed its unfair policies towards vernacular schools.
“Under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, national schools are allocated RM33.30 per student every month.
“However, Tamil schools receive RM10.55 per student and Chinese schools receive only RM4.50 per student every month. Is this in line with 1 Malaysia concept?,” asked Kulasegaran.
Last year, MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek’s request for additional allocations for Chinese schools came under criticism from the Malay Consultative Council (MPM).
The umbrella body for Malay groups claimed that only national schools are allowed to receive government funds under the constitution.
MPM also called upon the government to abolish vernacular schools and replace it with a single school system.
Withdraw Interlok
Kulasegaran, who is also Ipoh Barat MP took, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to task for not withdrawing controversial novel Interlok from schools.
