MCA slams Malay group for vernacular schools shut-down call
Syed Jaymal Zahiid, TMI
The MCA has blasted the Malay Muslim Consumer Association (MMCA) for calling on the government to shut down vernacular schools and implement a single stream education system as extremist and inflammatory.
Party Youth chief Datuk Wee Ka Siong (picture) said today the demand, which was reported by Umno-owned Malay daily Utusan Malaysia yesterday, had slighted the emotions of Chinese voters and could undermine racial harmony, adding that the party will be lodging a police report on the matter.
“The call by the Malay-Muslim Consumer Association for a single stream education system is extremist and inflammatory in nature.
“MCA Youth will not tolerate this and will lodge a police report against them as their remarks could undermine racial harmony,” Wee said in a statement.
MMCA chief Datuk Nadzim Johan, with the support of 130 other Malay-rights NGOs, was reported to have pushed for a government review on its vernacular education policy.
Apart from calling vernacular schools a stumbling block to national unity, Nadzim appeared to have accused them of stoking anti-government sentiments among its students.
“What is happening in some private vernacular schools is the students are not only learning through their mother tongue, they are also taught of the history of other countries,” he was quoted as saying.
Wee slammed Nadzim’s argument as shallow and accused him of trying to pin the blame the country’s racial problems on “mother tongue” education.
“It is regretful that there are still a handful of people who are still calling for the abolition of mother-tongue education and bringing up the issue of a single stream education system, as they believe that national unity can be achieved if everyone learns in the same language.
“This shallow-minded thinking of theirs is wrong and they are only attempting to pin the blame on mother tongue education,” he said.
Wee, who is Ayer Putih MP, added such accusations are unfair to Malaysians of all races and argued that as long as the government continues to implement fair policies and measures, voters irrespective of race will continue to support the government.
“This will then lead to national unity,” stressed the former deputy education minister.
