The announcement by Education Minister Hishamuddin Tun Hussein Onn that there will be two new Chinese primary schools built under the Ninth Malaysian Plan (9MP) namely SJKC Putra Height Selangor and SJKC Kulai II, Johor is politically motivated to save MCA. This is clearly an attempt to mollify the Chinese community angry with MCA following Deputy Education Minister Datuk Noh Omar’s announcement in Parliament on 20.9.2006 that not even one new Chinese or Tamil primary schools will be built under the 9MP. However such an announcement by Hishamuddin is misleading for 3 reasons.

One, there is one and not two new Chinese primary schools. SJKC Kulai II from Johor is actually a relocated school and not a new school. As for SJKC Putra Height Selangor, even though it is a new school, there is concern that this is a Wawasan school.

Two, Datuk Noh Omar should be reprimanded by Cabinet for falsely stating in Parliament that of the 180 new primary schools  built not a single one would be Chinese and Tamil primary school. Failure to do so would prove that the government never had any intention to build any Chinese or Tamil primary schools under the 9MP but is only making an announcement now of a new Chinese school in Selangor to save MCA.

Further by not reprimanding Noh Omar would show double-standards by Cabinet when it reprimanded Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat for interfering in another Ministry for exposing corruption in the repairs of Chinese primary schools. Noh Omar should also be referred to the Committee of Privileges in Parliament for misleading Parliament.

Thirdly and most importantly, what is one new Chinese primary school when Dong Jiao Zong(DJZ) announced that 134 new Chinese primary schools and 836 acres of land are required based on needs of the expanding Chinese population in Penang, Johor Baru as well as Klang Valley of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor? MCA should feel ashamed for getting only one new Chinese primary school when 134 new Chinese primary schools are required, is no different from playing “beggar politics”.

Why should the Chinese community be thankful to the government for the one new Chinese primary school when as taxpayers they have every right to expect their contributions to be utilised to promote mother-tongue education. The Chinese community will also feel betrayed when their taxes have contributed greatly to the country’s economic development. Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had said that most of the tax revenue collected was from the Chinese community, which was then channeled for development projects that benefited the country, particularly the Malays.

Mahathir even said that Malaysia would not enjoy the prosperity it achieved now were it not for the contributions of the Chinese community. Is this the reward for all the hard work, sacrifices and contributions that the Chinese community that the BN government refuses to allocate even a small part of their tax payments to building Chinese primary schools urgently needed in densely populated areas such as KL, Selangor and Johor Baru?

Building only one Chinese primary school when 134 are required is no different from UMNO treating the Chinese community as beggars as it is clearly not enough. The time has come to put Chinese education into the mainstream of economic development and not throw us bread crumbs for political purposes to save MCA. DAP opposes UMNO’s practice of “beggar  politics” which should be replaced one based on needs.