Wee calls for action against those behind questionnaire
(The Star) – “No one is allowed to challenge our multi-stream education system. MCA will not compromise on this matter”
A questionnaire has surfaced online seeking responses from netizens on whether there should only be a single stream education system.
The document was published via Google Forms, bearing the logo of the Information Department, which falls under the Communications and Multimedia Ministry.
Its minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak, however, has denied having knowledge of it.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said he called Salleh yesterday, seeking an explanation.
“He has questioned the department’s director-general, who denied that it published the document.
“The minister has promised that his department will investigate the matter,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Salleh, said Dr Wee, had also expressed his opposition against such a questionnaire and said that he would take action against those responsible.
“I urge the ministry to identify the person who uploaded the questionnaire and take action against him,” he said, reminding the public that the right to mother tongue education was enshrined under the Federal Constitution.
“No one is allowed to challenge our multi-stream education system. MCA will not compromise on this matter,” he said.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai would be bringing up the matter at Cabinet today or discuss this with Salleh, Dr Wee said.
Earlier in Kuching, Dr Wee said RM26.58mil out of the RM50mil fund for Chinese small and medium enterprises (SMEs) had been given out to 124 companies.
Launching a financial road show by the Secretariat for the Advancement of Malaysian Entrepreneurs (SAME), he reminded SMEs to provide sufficient information when applying for the loan, adding that of the 704 applications so far, only 41.5% were complete.
Dr Wee said he would request for a similar allocation under Budget 2016 on behalf of the Chinese business community as such financial assistance would help stimulate the economy.
“It’s important to ensure we have a 8.9% growth rate to achieve a 41% contribution from SMEs to the country’s Gross Domestic Product by 2020,” he said.
At a later event in Johor, Dr Wee was a special guest for a multimedia language class in SJK (C) Yong Peng 2, sitting among the pupils.
SJK (C) Yong Peng 2, he said, was the second out of the 10 chosen Chinese schools in the country to receive tablet devices under the Smart School Programme 2.0.
He said the programme under MCA saw the school being given 70 tablet devices equipped with ICT facilities to help improve the pupils’ command of English and Bahasa Malaysia.
