Chua: People need to know Anwar’s stand on Chinese education

(Asia News Network) – PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s silence on Pakatan Rakyat’s plans for Chinese education in the country is deafening, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said.

He said he had posed the question to him three times and the Opposition Leader’s refusal to respond was unfair and misleading to the people.

“The people have the right to know so that they can compare before they go to the polls,” he told reporters after opening the joint annual general meeting of 10 Perak MCA divisions in Kamunting here yesterday.

Questioning Anwar’s motive behind his silence, Dr Chua repeated his question how many Chinese primary schools and Chinese independent schools did Pakatan plan to build, would it institutionalise allocations for Chinese primary schools and recognise the Unified Examination Certificate from Chinese independent schools?

He said people would be able to see the true colours of Pakatan if Anwar, who was a former education minister, could not or would not answer the question.

Dr Chua said the Dong Zong (United Chinese School Committees Association) should also pose the same question to Anwar to prove its concern for Chinese education.

He took Dong Zong to task, saying that the body’s incessant and baseless attacks on MCA were politically motivated.

On another matter, Dr Chua said the Government’s recognition of 74 diploma and advanced diploma certificates from Tunku Abdul Rahman College was an acknowledgment of the academic standard of the college which was founded by MCA in 1969.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said students who obtained unaccredited TARC diplomas and higher diplomas would now have their qualifications recognised by the Public Service Department (PSD).

In a statement yesterday, Dr Chua said: “This means that the graduates since the 90s will receive the Public Service Department’s recognition. This will pave the road for them to join the civil service.”